Espoir D'Allen shines at Fairyhouse

Espoir D'Allen maintained his unbeaten record with an assured display in the Bar One Racing Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Snapped up by leading owner JP McManus after winning a French bumper, the three-year-old was visually impressive on his first two starts over hurdles for Gavin Cromwell at Punchestown and Down Royal.

The son of Voix Du Nord was the 8-13 favourite stepped up to Grade Three level and while Barry Geraghty was initially happy to sit at the rear of the five-strong field, he took much closer order racing down the back straight and was in front rounding the home turn.

Gordon Elliott's dual winner Mitchouka did his best to cover the move and appeared to be travelling equally as well approaching the second flight from the finish, but Espoir D'Allen jumped it much the better and careered away to score comfortably in the end by four and a half lengths.

Geraghty said: "We went steady early and he was jumping so well, I felt we were better letting him go and enjoy himself and make use of his jumping. He's a lovely sort, a gorgeous horse and does everything you want."

Cromwell said: "I was very impressed with that as he took it up early and went about his business and did it well.

"Leopardstown (Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at Christmas) will be on the cards and he will certainly get an entry. I'll have to talk to JP and Frank (Berry, racing manager) and see what they want to do.

"He doesn't show very much at home but when he comes to the track he answers all the questions.

"I think he's versatile ground-wise, and horses by the sire Voix Du Nord seem to dig deep. He hasn't been asked yet, but I think he'll stay very well."

Davids Charm (10-1) claimed top honours in the Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle.

The John Joe Walsh-trained six-year-old lined up in the 100,000 euro contest in fine form having won successive races at Listowel and Galway before returning to Listowel to finish second in September.

He was a 10-1 shot for this fiercely competitive contest under Rachael Blackmore and while he was untidy at the final two flights in the home straight, he had enough in hand to hold Meri Devie at bay.

Yaha Fizz and She's A Star dead-heated for third.

Walsh said: "The first race that he won, when he hit the front he didn't know where to go - he nearly turned back! "The next day he won in Galway, he nearly forgot to take the bend into the straight!

"He didn't get the clearest of runs in Listowel the last day. He should have won there as well. We were worried about the ground. Hopefully he'll progress away. We might go novice hurdling with him."

Presenting Percy rediscovered the winning touch with a dominant victory in the Bar One Racing Porterstown Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old provided trainer Pat Kelly with his second successive victory in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival in March, following the success of Mall Dini the previous year, and both horses featured in this 14-strong field.

Presenting Percy made a big impression on his chasing debut at Galway, but lined up in this three-mile-five-furlong contest on a recovery mission having disappointed slightly in last month's Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown.

Despite the burden of top-weight, the 7-2 joint-favourite travelled and jumped fluently and Davy Russell barely had to move a muscle to steer him to a comfortable success over last year's winner Forever Gold.

Winning owner Philip Reynolds said: "He was very good, a lot better than he was the last day. The ground is a bit looser today, so he jumped out of it a lot better.

"We couldn't believe he got a mark of 145, so we decided we'd better make use of it. "I was a bit worried after the last day, as he wasn't anything like he was at Galway, but after today he's certainly out of handicap company now and he'll have to step up.

"We'd have to be looking in that direction."

The Devenish And Meath GAA Race Day (Pro/Am) Flat Race brought a cracking card to a close and it was the Mags Mullins-trained newcomer Downtown Getaway (14-1) who came home an impressive winner in the hands of Katie Walsh.