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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

O'Sullivan completes first double on Gibney's veteran

Sat 12th Jun 2021, 18:06

Robin De Roost and James O'Sullivan (nearest) fly the last 
Robin De Roost and James O'Sullivan (nearest) fly the last
© Photo Healy Racing

Tom Gibney’s horses continue to perform with great consistency and 3/1 favourite Robin De Roost was another winner for the Kells handler in the Virtual Live Racing Handicap Steeplechase (0-102).

James O’Sullivan, himself completing his first-ever double after taking the opener on Butterflyvespiere produced the 11-year-old to challenge at the last and he went away up the hill to beat Pat Coyne (11/1) by two lengths.

A dual winner over fences in 2017, Robin De Roost had a spell on the sidelines last year but has been kept busy since returning to action recently.

He picked up a couple of point-to-points in May before finishing second in a handicap chase at Punchestown on his previous outing.

O’Sullivan said: "He had a great run in Punchestown the last day and was probably unlucky to bump into one. It wasn't a fluke and he won a point-to-point there as well.

"The boys were confident coming up and they just said to keep him out wide on the ground that hadn't been chopped up. It proved key.

"I walked the track before and there just seemed to be more water down the rail, so I just said to keep out on the better stuff.

"I was trying to hold on to him down to the last and, when he got there, he pricked his ears and he did it nicely.”

Quotes from Michael Graham

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.