Eagle Fang booked his Cheltenham Festival ticket with victory in the A.M. Transport Supporting Kill GAA Rated Hurdle at Naas.
The four-year-old finished third in his only Flat start for Keith Dalgleish before being sold for 55,000 guineas last July and joining William Durkan’s team.
Placed on his first three starts, including at Grade Three level, Eagle Fang has cut little ice upped to Grade Two company at Christmas but dropped in calibre here, he posted a five-length success in the hands of Phillip Enright.
The 9-4 favourite stayed on well on heavy ground, with Paddy Power cutting him to 12-1 from 25s for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at next month’s Festival.
Assistant trainer Gary Bannon said: “We thought he would have won his maiden by now, but he’s bumped into a few smart horses. We freshened him up and came here.
“The Boodles has been the plan with him. He’s a lovely horse for the future and stepping up in trip he’ll be a nice horse next year.
“He’s tough and not your typical Flat horse. He doesn’t do a whole pile at home. We’d like to see a bit of rain for Cheltenham, and he should get in now.”
Terence O’Brien also has Cheltenham on his mind for Answer To Kayf following his win in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle.
Sent off a 7-2 chance, Answer To Kayf put in a fine round of jumping before showed a determined attitude to fend off the challenge of the evens favourite Captain Cody by a length and a half under 7lb claimer John Shinnick.
O’Brien said: “We gave him an entry in the Albert Bartlett and I was thinking of going for the Martin Pipe. We’ll see how he comes out of it and we’ll probably give him an entry in the Martin Pipe.
“There is a great prize for the Final of this Series in Punchestown and I suppose that is probably the main aim. Whether we take in Cheltenham in the meantime, we’ll see how he comes out of this.
“I’d say he’s flexible in terms of trip. He’s not a slow horse and I didn’t think he was stopping there at the finish.
“Johnny’s 7lb claim was obviously a big help today and we’ll see what the handicapper does with him after this.”
Paddy Power make him a 16-1 shot for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
