Spasiba overcomes some sloppy jumping to land the odds

Spasiba justified odds-on favouritism when making all in the Cavan Developments Home Builders Supporting St Marys GAA Maiden Hurdle at Naas.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding, a useful sort on the Flat and third in the big amateur riders handicap at the Galway Festival this summer, took a walk in the market but still went off the 1/2 (from 2/7) favourite.

His jumping was a bit of a mix bag and also showed a tendency to jump right but was ridden out by Paul Townend to beat Beauforts Storm by two and a quarter lengths. Fairyland Opera belied odds of 100/1 when a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Mullins said, “It probably worked out workmanlike for his price, he was very short.

“I'll have to look at another half mile for him and maybe going right-handed. He seemed to be leaning to the right, so a novice hurdle right-handed would be the obvious thing to do.

“Sometimes you don't get right-handed and have to go left-handed, we'll take what we get.

“It's a big open straight here in Naas, facing up there, but he got the job done and that's the important thing.”

Quotes by Gary Carson