Peace Party opens account in style at 16/1

Peace Party found the key to the door at his 21st attempt as the nine-year-old recorded a 16/1 surprise off bottom weight in the Watch Irish Racing On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle at Gowran Park.

The nine-year-old gelding was placed on his first two bumper starts back in 2017 but, after an 18-month spell on the sidelines, had dropped right down to a basement mark over hurdles.

The Des McDonogh-trained gelding travelled ominously well entering the straight and soon settled the issue when ridden to assert approaching the final flight.

The Newell family homebred stretched right away on the run-in under Eoin Walsh to score by an easy eight lengths from Chrisaldy Ellaat was a further four lengths back in third with I Sea The Moon completing the places in fourth.

Walsh said, “He’s done it well. A bit of nice ground suits him and he’s not short of toe.

“He’d a couple of nice runs in the past but things seemed to fall right for him today and thankfully he’s got the job done.”