Station Closed making up for lost time

It took Station Closed 52 months and four trainers to eventually record a first win, at Downpatrick on May 19, but the Gordon Elliott trained mare added a quick second success at Down Royal today, landing the Barclay Bytes Handicap Hurdle under a last-gasp success for jockey Davy Russell.

The nine year old daughter of Kutub made her career debut in January 2013 and having failed to win before this month, today benefitted from a typical Russell waiting ride to sweep past Authorative close home for a half length win.

Russell later commented “credit to Gordon (Elliott) really - he is after getting two races out of a mare who might have struggled normally and he found two lovely races for her to be fair.

“I suppose the cheekpieces helped today but I don't know if anything loved that ground, it is quite quick there."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham