Pakens Rock delights trainer Barry Murphy© Photo Healy Racing
Pakens Rock stalked bottom-weight Wrong Direction before picking the leader off approaching the final fence in Kilbeggan's handicap chase for five-year-olds plus.
Cian Quirke 's mount travelled well to hit the front and was kept up to his work to ensure that gambled-on Junior Rattler was fended off at the business end.
The winner prevailed at 15/2 from the staying-on runner-up who got to within half a length at the line. Junior Rattler was punted from 25/1 this morning down to an SP of 6/1.
This brought up a double for Quirke who was earlier successful on Kellie's Dream in the second split of the 2m2f handicap hurdle for Andy Slattery.
Trainer Barry Murphy said: "I'm delighted. He seems to favour tracks that he likes. He's won four times at Galway, twice here and twice in Thurles.
“It's nice for a small yard and small owners. I drive the wheelbarrow, tractor and horsebox!
“He's the horse of a lifetime for me, a horse that keeps pulling it out. He's gutsy. Hopefully he can rack up another one or two.
“He might get into the Blazers (at Galway), he's entered in the Galway Plate just because he won the trial and gets a complimentary entry.
“There is a hurdle race there as well and I wouldn't rule that out. He'll run once I'd say, whatever we get into we'll go for that. He'll have a few entries and will run in whatever he can be most competitive in.
“He came from behind the last day, he was in the middle of them today and he can make it as well. He's won on firm, soft and nearly everything. He's just a real durable horse.
“I have two horses and 50 per cent strike rate!”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
