Stamina test sees Flicker Of Hope resume winning ways

Having kept on nicely when eighth over the minimum trip on the opening evening of the festival, Flicker Of Hope credited trainer Mark Fahey with a second winner of the week when stepping back up in distance to take the Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle.

Off the track since winning twice in May, the five-year-old clearly benefited from the run on Monday when landing some tidy bets in this competitive handicap.

Put in at double figure prices overnight, the gelding was soon cut to single figures and even allowing for a host of non runners, the money continued to come, seeing the Swords Bloodstock Limited owned winner go off 10/3jf.

Travelling noticeably well under Jack Kennedy after three out, the eventual winner went in pursuit of leader Littlebiggie after the penultimate flight.

Heading the latter on the run to the last, Flicker Of Hope stayed on strongly on the run-in to win by six lengths.

Mark Fahey: “He won that well. I probably shouldn’t have run him on Monday over two miles, but I thought he was rated too low to get into this race.

“He’s a nice horse and is improving the whole time. The rain came and Jack gave him a super ride.

“He’ll stay over hurdles for a while and is a horse that we are looking forward to.

“We’re after having a mighty week with two winners down here.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee.