Stakers makes winning debut over timber Stakers ran out a convincing winner of the opening maiden hurdle at Tipperary to make a winning debut over jumps. Alan Crowe always had the New Zealand-bred handy and hit the front before the final flight. Nearest pursuer Final Day didn't help himself with a mistake at the last and the Christy Roche-trained gelding stayed on strongly to record a three-and-a-half length success. "He did it well and jumped away well," said JP McManus' racing manager Frank Berry. "He has had a few little hiccups but nothing major, We'll try and find another one like that along the way for him. It looked like he handled the ground well."
