Flare bounces back at Ballybrit

Flaxen Flare bounced back from a heavy fall at Cork just ten days ago when claiming the Galway City & Salthill Charity Hurdle at Ballybrit this afternoon.

Barry Geraghty bided his time on the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding in the two-and-a-half mile contest as he settled last of the four runners.

He took closer order before the second last and was produced to challenge at the final flight.

The Windsor Knot gelding got the better of fellow 6/4 joint-favourite Plinth on the run-in to record a two-length success.

The runner-up had been the chief beneficiary when Flaxen Flare crashed out on his last outing.

Davy Condon suffered a bad injury from the winner in Cork, fracturing three vertebrae, and he was in the thoughts of Elliott afterwards:-

“He's Davy's ride and it's unfortunate that he's going to be out for a while.

“It's hard to if he would have won the last day. I wasn't worried about the trip and I'm glad to see him back to winning ways.

“He might stay over hurdles this season. He has schooled over fences and could go chasing next year.”

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)