Ballyneety takes over in Gowran© Photo Healy Racing
Ballyneety took full advantage of a mistake at the last by Calicojack to land the two mile maiden hurdle at Gowran Park.
Mark Walsh 's mount came home best to wear down Calicojack on the run-in and score by half a length at 2/1.
Calicojack had to settle for second at 10/1 with Myth Buster the same distance away in third at 25/1 (from as big as 80/1 in the morning).
Trainer Joseph O’Brien said: “It’s his first run over hurdles and only his second ever run so I’d imagine he’ll learn a lot from today. Mark was very happy with him and said he’d come on from the run.
“You’d like to find a winners of one for him but they are few and far between so he might have to go into a Graded race. We’ll see how he comes out of it and make a plan.”
O'Brien has had 18 winners in Ireland, between the flat and jumps, over the last three weeks.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
