Forrard Away opens account on handicap debut at 25/1

Forrard Away soundly beaten in three previous maiden outings, caused a 25/1 surprise on his handicap debut in the M2 Construction, Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle.

The Jim Dreaper-trained gelding wasn’t totally friendless in the off-course market having been nibbled at from 40/1 before the off.

The son of Califet, owned and bred by Peter Newell, challenged early in the straight and struck the front touching down after the last.

He kept on well under Mark Bolger to beat 100/30 favourite My Club Colours by a length and a half with Caddy Shack keeping on just half a length further back in third.

Dreaper’s son and assistant Tom said, “He’s a lovely horse and was going out on his holidays after today and going to jump a fence in the autumn.

“I told Mark if you can beat more than beat you today that would be brilliant. He loves the ground and is owned by great people. If we said you won’t see him for 18 months until he jumps a fence there would be no problem.

“We would usually start them off point-to-pointing but he was quite raw and we felt the racecourse would grow him up. He’d shown plenty at home and the dream is alive now until the autumn and he jumps a fence.”