Echoes In Rain gets it easy on the front end Only four flights were jumped in the opening ‘Irish Field’ Supporting Irish Racing 4-y-o Maiden Hurdle as the spoilsport winter sun once again made an appearance. The runners raced so slowly early on that it almost looked like a false start, but in any event the easy-to-back 13/8 favourite Echoes In Rain was handed an easy lead and took full advantage. Paul Townend’s mount was clear all the way up the home straight on the final circuit as the well-backed Whowonthetoss (5/2) could make no impression, and that one was caught for second in the end by the staying-on Papal Lodge (11/2). Fifteen lengths and four and three quarter lengths were the winning margins. A winner at 2 and 3 on the Flat in her native France, the winning daughter of Authorized, trained by Willie Mullins, had finished fifth in a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown behind Aspire Tower last Christmas on her only previous hurdles outing. “It was a false run race," said Townend. "She jumped great and I think she will be manageable if it was a normal race and not what was going on there. There was no point staying in behind them. "She wears a hood because she is forward going but she will be manageable in a better race. The ground is testing.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee
