Mark Nunan
Guinevere takes the opener for Cody and Torrens
Guinevere and Simon Torrens (left0 jump the last before winning the Guiness 4-y-o Novice Hurdle
© Photo Healy Racing
7lbs claimer Simon Torrens continues to impress and he was on the mark with Guinevere (15/2) in the opening Guinness Novice Hurdle for the four-year-olds.
Getting a nice bit of weight from all her rivals, the Camelot filly came through on the run-in to thwart the front-running Politicise and defeated that one by a length.
‘Fred Winter’ third Saint D’oroux had every chance back in third and the 15/8 favourite Red Gerry was a well-beaten sixth.
Guinevere had won at Dundalk back in January and was off the mark here on her fifth start over flights, having been second to Anna Bunina (withdrawn here due to the rain-softened ground) at Cork last Friday.
“I'm delighted with that. She did what I thought she'd do the last day, she was disappointing in Cork,” said winning trainer Ray Cody.
“I loved the way she came up the hill today. The long term plan all along was the Lartigue Hurdle in Listowel, which we won last year with Razoul, and she'll probably end up there.
“She goes on any ground, it doesn't make a difference to her.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson