Stack off the mark on opening day

Fozzy Stack got his training career off to the best possible start when Gino Severini landed the Palmerstown House Madrid Handicap on the opening day of the flat turf season at Naas.

Stack has taken over the licence this term after many years as assistant to his father Tommy, and the well-backed 8/1 winner also cemented a new partnership for the Co. Tipperary yard with jockey Chris Hayes.

The Fastnet Rock gelding struck the front a furlong out in this seven-furlong event, and kept on well to beat Hailstone by a length and a half with Zelaniya the same distance further away in third.

Stack said, “It’s good to have that monkey off my back! He’d been working well, and has got stronger since last year. I always thought that he wanted better ground but he had been working well on grass a few times during the spring. He stays well and he could get a mile and a quarter.

“It’s good to have Chris. He has plenty of experience and Kevin (Prendergast) has been good and hopefully it works out well for everybody.

“We have about 60 horses this year, and half of those are two-year-olds. We have a good squad but only time will tell.”