Just Friends overturns odds-on Tawaagg

Tawaagg (4/6) became the third losing odds-on favourite at Thurles today, losing out to the Michael O'Brien trained Just Friends in the Holy Cross Maiden Hurdle.

Ridden by Davy Russell, Just Friends made all, and although Tawaagg looked to pose a serious threat (and matched at 1.03 in-running), the winner battled well from the last for a length and three-parts success, to provide Davy Russell with the second leg of a double.

Afterwards O'Brien stated "I was a bit disappointed with his run at Navan the last day but he seems to want to get right-handed. I thought he'd improve a bit today although I wasn't sure he was capable of giving 8lbs to the favourite."