All's Quiet and Barry John Foley pictured on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
All's Quiet came home a comfortable winner of the Roscommon Rated Hurdle, scoring under Barry John Foley for Adrian McGuinness.
The son of Westerner won his maiden hurdle at Down Royal in May, since winning on the level at Ballinrobe in July.
He was only ninth on his most recent outing at Galway, and he was sent off a well-backed 7/2 chance this evening (as big as 15/2 this morning, opening on-course at 4s).
Having raced in fourth, he took closer order on the outer before the third last. He travelled strongly and lead after the next, stretching clear on the run-in to score by three and three parts of a length. Orgilgo Bay finished second under James O'Sullivan for John McConnell at 12/1, while the 9/4 favourite (from 11/4) Fridaynightlights was pulled up quickly after the second last.
McGuinness said afterwards: "I didn't think he would go on the ground. I've had him a few years and he was very weak early on.
"We ran him a second time at Galway after he ran well there on the Flat but he ran too free the second day over hurdles. We gave him a little bit of a break and sent him home for a fortnight, and he's done that quite easily.
"We'll probably go for a novice with him. I'm sure the handicapper is going to slaughter him but he's plenty of options and we won't kill him as I think he's a nice horse and will make a nice chaser in time.
"He's in again at Clonmel (on Thursday) but I don't think we'll run him as that's a fair old slog there today. He's not a bad horse on the Flat and has a nice mark so he could go for something like the November Handicap if he gets in.
"Dan Daly (winning owner) is a great patron of mine, and has been very lucky."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
