Philip Byrnes sends Jack Holiday home© Photo Healy Racing
Jack Holiday (12/1) put in a fine front-running display under Philip Byrnes to land the Junction Handicap Hurdle at Tipperary.
He won an early battle for the lead in this two-mile race and enjoyed himself out in front.
He was spring-heeled over two out and began to stretch away from the field. Another good jump at the final flight ensured his first victory over hurdles to go with the two he has over fences. Rathnaleen Kal stayed on well on the run-in to cut into the lead, but she was never reeling the winner in and went down by a length and a half at 40/1. Go Gill Go (9/1) was four lengths further back in third with Deep Pockets completing the places in fourth at 28/1.
Trainer John Gleeson said of the nine-year-old gelding: "He is handicapped well over hurdles and at Tramore (on Sunday) things didn't happen for him as the ground was too tacky. He wants good ground and is the type of horse who you could run again tomorrow.
"He isn't big, but jumps fences really well and this gives him more options over hurdles. We'll mix away between hurdles and fences during the summer.
"He gives his all, is a grand horse to train, I'm lucky to have him and the owners have been great."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
