Questions Answered jumps the last on his way to victory under Rob Jones© Photo Healy Racing
Questions Answered landed a gamble as he recorded his first win in nearly three years, taking the Patrickswell Handicap Hurdle under Rob Jones for Eric McNamara.
The eight-year-old son of Old Vic last tasted success in December of 2010, when he took the valuable Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase over the course.
Mixing it between hurdles and fences since, the chestnut gelding has been placed four times, and having opened at 11/2 last night with Paddy Power, he opened on-course at just 5/2, and was backed into 2/1 clear favouritism at the off.
Held up in the early stages, the winner was seventh after halfway, and he made headway into fifth at the third last.
He improved into second before the straight, soon hitting the front, and he was ridden before the final flight, keeping on well to score by half a length. Courage finished second under David Casey for Charlie Swan at 7/1, while Tabhachtach (6/1) was a further five and a half lengths back in third under Mark Slevin for his father Shay.
Eric McNamara said afterwards: "He is a lovely horse. I was half thinking about going back to Cheltenham for the Paddy Power Chase, he was fifth in it last year, but I spoke to his owner and he hasn’t run for a while so we said we’d try to get a hurdles race for him.
"The plan is to go to Clonmel on Thursday under a four pound penalty if he is okay. Rob gave him a great ride."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
