Half-an-hour on from the brilliance of Honeysuckle again in the Hatton’s Grace, there was further Fairyhouse joy for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the Grade A BARONERACING.COM Handicap Hurdle with 25/1 chance Gua Du Large.
This Robcour-owned youngster seemed to benefit from the addition of a tongue-strap, after being pulled up at Down Royal on his previous appearance 29 days back.
Typically many still held chances over the closing couple of hurdles in this two miler, and Gua Du Large eventually got the better of the J P McManus and Gordon Elliott pair, Glan and Magic Tricks, by a neck and a length and three parts.
"He was really disappointing in Down Royal - it was really heavy and I think he struggled on the ground, I think. We didn't really know what happened to be honest and he couldn't even finish,” said de Bromhead.
"We put a tongue-tie on him today and that might have made a huge difference but I'd say ground and it being his first run, caught him out the last day.
"We said we'd have another go here and he got all the breaks and everything went right for him. It is great for Robcour and it was an amazing ride. It has been an incredible half an hour"
He added "Rachael is brilliant and is so tough.
"She was in a wheelchair straight after her injury and everyone thought she would come back for today. But I rang her after a couple of weeks and suddenly she was on crutches and the speed of her recovery was incredible.
"You'd ring her and she'd be off walking in the sea - that's what really successful sports people do."