Duffy getting the best out of Dooney

Just four of the twelve horses declared for the Dr. Louis O'Carroll Maiden Hurdle took part with Faranadooney coming out on top to provide his trainer Shane Duffy with his first winner in over a year and a half.

Duffy who trains in Errill, Co Laois last tasted success on the racecourse when Hello Man won a six furlong handicap also at Listowel on the 17th of September 2010.

Faranadooney failed to score on twelve starts on the level and having started off his career with Kevin Prendergast he moved to the Joanna Morgan yard after his first seven efforts.

Having finished seventh on his last start for Morgan and his first start over hurdles at Navan in December behind Monksland he then moved on to Duffy.

On his first start for Duffy, last time out, he ran a cracker to finish just four and a half lengths second to One Cool Shabra in a 2m handicap on the level at Clonmel last month.

Having just his second start for Duffy and his second start over hurdles the son of Sahm was sent off the 3/1 second favourite this afternoon.

He came with his challenge between both See It As It Is (13/2) and the 8/15 favourite Van Diemens Land at the second last.

Van Diemens Land folded tamely on the run to the last while Faranadooney asserted on the run-in to score by two and a quarter lengths under Alan Crowe.

The hot favourite Van Diemens Land finished a very disappointing third a further seventeen lengths behind under Andrew McNamara for Charles O’Brien.

Winning trainer & owner Shane Duffy said afterwards: "He is a nice horse and was unlucky to come up against Oliver Brady’s horse (One Cool Shabra) at Clonmel. It was an ordinary contest but a win is a win and we will tip away with him now.

"A step up in trip would do him no harm."

Donal Murphy & Thomas Weekes