“I nearly felt like giving up after he fell at Naas” said trainer Pat Fahy at Ballinrobe today after gaining an overdue success in the Sherry Fitzgerald Handicap Hurdle with well-backed Brucejack (8/1).

A 20/1 chance this morning, minus a 20% Rule 4 deduction, Brucejack travelled powerfully through the race, led approaching the last and won eased down by 14 lengths.

Fahy, with his first winner since November, added “I really fancied him in Naas (when exiting at the first, at 50/1).

“He's always been a good horse but things haven't worked out for him until now. He was too keen in his point-to-points and used to stand back so far he'd land on a fence.

"When you have a good horse like this and you're needing one so bad, and have it all go wrong on you, it's hard to take. So I'm delighted to get this. I know it's only an 80-95 but anyone can see he's going to make a top-class chaser. We won't stay over hurdles much longer.

"I'm delighted for Jim Mulhall who had a bit of bad luck lately with a broken leg and he deserves this win."

Winning jockey Michael O'Sullivan, who rides Willie Mullins' 66/1 outsider Carefully Selected in tomorrow's Grand National, was completing a double, having won the earlier race on the Barry Connell-trained Nine Graces

Quotes from Mark Nunan