Jack Kennedy drives Pats Choice home© Photo Healy Racing
Pats Choice (5/2jf) was there to be tackled after the penultimate fence in the Guinness Handicap Chase at Galway, but he found for Jack Kennedy to seal the spoils.
The six-year-old son of Getaway, trained by Gordon Elliott, came off the bridle in the lead between the final two fences but a lovely leap at the last saw land running.
It is a long way home in Galway from the back of the last, but Kennedy got him rocking and rolling on the uphill climb. The pair were soon four lengths clear, however, The Little Yank - who had a busy September - went after them in second approaching the straight. It was slow-motion stuff in the final furlong and a-half as The Little Yank attempted reel in the leader.
There was precious little between them in the final 150 yards and, to Pats Choice's credit, he didn't wilt as he made the best way home by three-parts of a length from the 5/1 runner-up.
Kennedy said: "He is a consistent horse, probably has his own ideas about things, but stuck his head out and galloped to the line today. It is as soft as he wants the ground today, so it was a good win for him.
"When a horse passes him, he can down tools a bit so I was keen not to let a horse pass him. In fairness to him, it is a long run-in and he kept pulling out more."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
