Sporting Glory, right, beats Sky Lord© Photo Healy Racing
Pat Fahy was delighted to successfully team up with Derek O'Connor for the first time in the bumper at Fairyhouse that Sporting Glory shaded. Jersey Des Brosses the 8/11 favourite, was in trouble in the straight with Harry Swan working overtime on top.
Both Sporting Glory and Sky Lord raced past him on either side and settled down to battle out the spoils approaching the final furlong.
It was neck and neck stuff, but close home O'Connor drove Sporting Glory (3/1) up by a neck from the 7/2 runner-up.
Fahy said: “Derek was brilliant in the last 50 yards. I'm delighted that he has ridden a winner for me.
“I've had a lot of top riders that have ridden winners for me and I was afraid I'd never get him to ride a winner. He was good there.
“We'll see what Joe Foley and Steve Parkin (Clipper Logistics) say, but we'll probably go for a maiden hurdle and then rock up to Punchestown in a good race, depending on how he jumps. Something like that.
“Martin Cullinane sold the horse and made sure that he'd end up in my yard. We were begging lads to buy him and they were knocking the horse because he was too old or whatever.
“He had a great pedigree, he's from the family of Harbour Pilot and there are winners everywhere on the page.
“You can't buy day like today, that was sweet. The owners are at the rugby, but Joe told me there that Steve is delighted.”
Sporting Glory finished runner-up in bumpers at Down Royal and over course and distance on his two previous starts.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
