J.P. McManus' homebred The Connector justified strong 5/4 favouritism to continue jockey Simon Torrens' good spell today, landing Punchestown's Hospitality At Festival 2023 Handicap Hurdle (div II) for trainer Michael Hourigan.

Bred by McManus' wife Noreen McManus, the son of Walk In The Park was trainer Hourigan's only Christmas runner when a beaten well-backed favourite at Limerick, behind subsequent winner Little Mixup, and today scored readily from Herculaneum

A relieved Hourigan said “at least he had his day in the sun; he's promised so many times and I always thought he was well rated but the handicapper had him right.

“If he had another 4lb he wouldn't have won and the handicapper is never wrong really.”

Jockey Torrens is filling-in for McManus' injured retained jockey Mark Walsh and was partnering his eighth winner of 2023, including a Dublin Racing Festival success on the owner's Ballybawn Belter.

Quotes from Gary Carson