Plenty going on but jolly wins Wexford opener

There was plenty going on over the final couple of hurdles up the straight but it was 4/5 favourite Sanibel Island that emerged on top in the opening Peter Nolan Bloodstock Maiden Hurdle at Wexford. Baron Von Chill didn't deserve his fall after running a big race at odds of 100/1. He was still on the premises when coming down at the last.

Ruby Walsh on Sanibel Island, wasn't helped by the loose Whats The Plot The favourite wasn't good at the last but he found enough on the run-in to see off the well-backed second favourite Guitar George by two and a half lengths.

"The loose one didn't help us between the last two," said Walsh after scoring on the Gordon Elliott-trained and Tom Doran-owned Sanibel Island.

"I had to go back behind him and then ended up on top of the last hurdle, but he picked up again well to win and I suppose he was entitled to on form. He won and that's the main thing."

K.C. Sexton, rider of Swordfight trained by Gordon Elliott, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount jumped poorly.

(DM & EM)