Gentleman Joe takes over at the last © Photo Healy Racing
Gentleman Joe stayed on for pressure to land the five runner Camida Perfect Chemistry Rated Novice Hurdle in Clonmel.
Rachael Blackmore got after him in fourth on the run to the second-last hurdle and her mount improved into second jumping it.
The pair came through to poach a narrow lead from Estepona Sun just before the last and they asserted in the closing stages to come home by two and a-quarter lengths at 5/2. Stuzzikini stayed on again third to grab second from Estepona Sun by a neck.
"He’s a big fella, and he takes a bit of pulling together, and whatever. When he hit the front, he was a bit idle, but Rachael said he did everything right," Henry de Bromhead said.
“He’s still a young horse and we’re only getting there now with him. We’ve thrown him in at the deep end a couple of times, and he’s possibly better going right than left.
"We’ll look for something similar now and just try to get him to progress along.”
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
