Pairofbrowneyes leads Killer Crow home in Limerick© Photo Healy Racing
Pairofbrowneyes (11/2) picked up the lead with a mile to go in the Grade B Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase at Limerick and made the best way home from there to win under Mikey Fogarty. It was his first start for trainer Barry Murphy.
He moved up from third to lead at the seventh last fence. After clearing the next he moved a good three lengths clear of Black Zero
However, as Pairofbrowneyes raced round the home turn his lead had been reduced by both Killer Crow and Black Zero.
Fogarty started to exert his arms as he asked for more from the leader at the second last. Black Zero beat a retreat but Killer Crow was almost on terms at this penultimate fence.
The whips were drawn on both as they approached the final fence at which Pairofbrowneyes held a narrow advantage.
He got away best and forged on gutsily to beat 4/1 favourite Killer Crow by four and a quarter lengths. Leavethelighton (16/1) was a further three and a half lengths back in third.
"That's my third runner and my first winner and it's great! It's a nice way to start and I've big boots to fill (following his father Ferdy Murphy)!" handler Barry Murphy said.
"He's a very progressive horse and his work had been very good. I'll take a look tonight and see where we go but it's great to start off with horses like him and I'd like to thank Leonard Fitzgerald (owner with Fibbage Syndicate)."
Murphy, based in Clonroche, was previously assistant to Liz Doyle.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
