Rappell and Billy Lee. © Photo Healy Racing
Successful earlier on in the evening with Barnso jockey Billy Lee recorded a double on the card when guiding the Paul Flynn trained Rappell to a comfortable win in the Friday Fairynights 7th June Handicap at Fairyhouse.
Well backed when runner-up at Navan on his handicap debut earlier this month, the son of Soldier's Call gained quick compensation tonight.
Travelling easily throughout, Lee tracked Colin Keane on favourite Layoftheland as the latter went in pursuit of leader Ginormous over two furlongs out.
Moving up to join issue soon after, Rappell quickened up well over a furlong out, despite still showing signs of greenness.
At the finish, the winner had two-and-three-quarter lengths in hand of the staying on second, Alex Belardo
Paul Flunn said: “I'm delighted with him. I thought the market got it a bit wrong but I fancy everything anyway!”
“Both of us(favourite Layoftheland) were slow away that day and it was our first handicap, and he was green and ran really well. He's definitely come on a lot from it.
“I think he's a grand horse, the mother was very good — a quick mare.
“I have to thank Roger O'Callaghan who looked after him when he had the horse, thanks to him and Tally-ho for helping us out with him.
“My brother (Neal) owns this lad with Paddy (McGuire), my vet, so it's great. My brother is on holiday so that's why the price stayed so big, we wondered who robbed it the last day!
“He's a big backward horse. The reason I entered him (at the Curragh next Wednesday) was because there weren't too many options.
“I don't like running them quickly too often but I suppose sprinting is a bit easier. If he came out of it okay I think I'd run him.
“I was thinking he might still be rated the same, he's going to be plus 7lb automatically.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
