Right Strategy jumps the last on his way to victory from Lord Hawkfield (left) & General MacCreevy (right)© Photo Healy Racing
The Tom McCourt trained Right Strategy sprang a 25/1 surprise in the Frank Fitzsimmons Maiden Hunters Chase as he provided his rider Jamie Flynn with his first racecourse winner.
21yo Flynn who is based with Jim Dreaper and is from Dublin has ridden two point-to-point winners before.
The winner was settled towards the rear early on by Flynn before he made headway after halfway.
He was fifth three fences from home before challenging and taking up the lead at the last (usually the second last, but the last was omitted due to an earlier faller), keeping on well under pressure from there to score by a length and three parts. Mister Philson for the Crawford brothers of trainer Stuart and rider Steven stayed on strongly up the hill but the line came at the wrong time for him and he had to settle for second at 9/2.
16/1 shot Lord Hawkfield finished a further three parts of a length back in third under Barry O’Neill for Philip Dempsey while the 7/2 favourite, Russian Regent for Jamie Codd and Cecil Ross fell four out when still travelling nicely.
Having started off his career in a bumper at Roscommon in September of 2010, the winner then raced in another bumper and two maiden hurdles.
After a long layoff of over a year the 6yo son of Strategic Court made his point-to-point debut at Farmacaffley in February of this year.
On his next start he won his maiden at Oldtown in March under Flynn while last time out he finished fourth in a winners of one at Oldcastle last month.
Winning trainer Tom McCourt said afterwards: "I couldn't believe the price he was as he was very unlucky in his winners of one point-to-point. He was left fifteen lengths at the start but still managed to finish fourth!
"He was a weak horse as a 4yo. He could win again and we might go hurdling with him."
Donal Murphy & Michael Graham
