ABOLITIONIST and Brian Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Abolitionist has proved a grand servant to connections and notched up his third victory in staying handicap hurdles this year when defying top-weight over 2m7f at Fairyhouse. Brian Hayes produced the six-year-old to strike the front just before the penultimate flight, and they soon asserted between the final two. The Shark Hanlon-trained 12/1 chance stayed on really well in the closing stages to beat 4/1 joint favourites Triplets Joy and Some Drama Triplets Joy rallied on the run-in to take the runner-up spot four and a half lengths adrift, with Some Drama a further half-length away in third. Hanlon said, "He did it well. He went off the boil a while back and I gave him a break. "He's in the Pertemps at Leopardstown and he's in off 10 stone. He'll probably go there if he comes out of the race well. "Brian said he wasn't hard on him. He's a hardy horse. The owner was off hunting today but I told him he was in great form and to have a few quid on." (GC & AM)
