Russell partners winner for longtime friend

Davy Russell and James Sheehan go back a long way from their teenage years in East Cork and the pair teamed up to take the Boylesports Novice Handicap Chase with Hurricane Ben at Fairyhouse.

The pair grew up together riding out for the likes of Jimmy Mangan, and the decision to change tactics and force the pace on this 8/1 chance paid off in spades in this two-mile event.

The Beneficial gelding, a point-to-point winner and now successful four times under rules, shrugged off the challenge of the well-backed 6/4 favourite Don’t Touch It after the last.

He drew clear to beat that rival by eight lengths, with Elusive Ivy keeping on well in the closing stages just a head further back in third.

Sheehan said , “It’s great to win a nice pot like that. Jumping is his forte and he’s probably a real two-miler looking at that. He handles any ground bar heavy.”

Russell said, “Myself and James are a long time soldiering together. He was one of the first fellas ever to give me a ride. We went to England for a summer when we were about 16 and 18.

“James got it right dropping him back in distance and a bit of nice ground. He was always dropped in but we made the running with him today. He’s a different horse over that trip.”