Lieutenant Colonel and Brian O'Connell © Photo Healy Racing
Lieutenant Colonel stretched away from the last to decisively win the competitive looking Grade 2 novice hurdle in Fairyhouse.
The imposing son of Kayf Tara travelled powerfully in fourth and after jumping the third last eased through to join Le Vent D’Antan at the head of affairs. Lieutenant Colonel and Brian O'Connell went on before the final hurdle and galloped away for a 10-lengths decision. He was returned at 5/1.
Le Vent D’Antan, the 3/1 favourite, was awkward at the last, but came in second. Azorian was another five and a ahalf lengths away in third at 20/1.
“We are having a great day. He’s a smashing horse and he ran really well in the Sun Alliance. He was a bit green and he ran off the last bend a bit, but we were very happy with the run,” trainer Dessie Hughes said.
“Coming away from Cheltenham we didn’t think we’d run him again, but he did so well physically since then that we said we’d take our chance. He was a better horse today.
“For a big horse he carried him all the way he was going very easily. He has enough pace for two miles and he gets two and a half miles so that’s what you want.
“He’s only five so we might leave him hurdling next year. He might get another year to mature. With his pace he could run in better races; something like the Hatton’s Grace.”
Lieutenant Colonel was sixth to Faugheen in the Neptune at Cheltenham.
This gave Dessie Hughes a Fairyhouse double as Some Tikket won the Grade B novice handicap chase. Renneti refused to race when the field jumped off.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
