Journey With Me and Darragh O'Keeffe © Photo Healy Racing
Journey With Me got 'back on track' with a convincing success in the McInerney Properties Chase at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding had been third on his return to action at Navan early last month and stepped forward to land today's Grade 2 prize.
Darragh O'Keeffe produced the Mahler gelding to challenge three from home in the two-mile-three contest and he edged ahead from Appreciate It after the penultimate fence.
The 4/1 shot kept on strongly from the last to record a nine-length win.
6/5 favourite Saint Sam pulled up going to the last after setting a strong pace.
“He jumped well, did everything right and Darragh was great on him. It's brilliant for Robcour,” said de Bromhead.
“They went a fair lick the whole way, Saint Sam went a real good gallop. It probably helped us in a sense, helped to settle our lad and he stayed at it really well.
“We would have always hoped he was (a Grade 1 horse). It's nice to be back on track anyway, this is a great race to win on a brilliant day.
“There are a couple of options at Punchestown but I haven't really firmed up on anything. Today was the plan, see how we got on and move on from there.
“He can be a bit silly jumping but he's getting there, that's two good rounds of jumping now.
“Navan was his first run for a long time, he had a bit of a setback, and he needed it. He got a bit tired there but ran really well.”
