The Wallpark brings up Elliott double on stable debut

The Wallpark made a winning debut for trainer Gordon Elliott when staying on strongly to take the concluding Frank & Brian Fitzsimmons Memorial Flat Race at Downpatrick.

Formerly in the care of Val Ward, the five-year-old gelding had some decent form in the book, including a second in a maiden hurdle at Down Royal.

Sent off at 1-2f to make a winning debut for Elliott, the Francis Mangan owned gelding looked to have a fight on his hands when Kalanisi Flash led travelling well out of the dip.

However, Harry Swan found that he had a willing partner for the tough uphill finish and the pair eventually got on top of the John McConnell trained runner-up half-way up the run-in before striding clear.

Harry Swan said: "He looks a real stayer. I'd say he didn't handle the track as well as we thought.

"I think he will improve again off that. He was off the bridle a long way out, but I think he is still a bit green.

"I was a little bit (worried), but I was kind of secretly confident, I knew he still had loads left even though I was off it.

"It is brilliant to get a winner here for Gordon."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham