Ellen Doyle saddled her first winner under rules when she sent out the Monksgrange runner-up Howyabud to take the Savills maiden hurdle on day three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
Sent off as a 25/1 shot for his hurdling debut, the Milan gelding was never too far from the pace, and once being sent on from the fourth-last, he soon had many of his rivals struggling leaving the back, and as he took the climb into the home straight, he began to get he measure of the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Horantzau D’airy.
Owned and bred by Charlie Carter, the former Kilkenny hurler who won three All-Ireland titles with the cats in addition to three all-star awards, the four-year-old was ridden to victory by former point-to-point rider turned conditional Jack Foley, who had incidentally recorded his first career success in a Lingstown point on the Baltimore Stables’ Acceptable Risk.
The Coolgarrow-based Doyle who operates under the Baltimore Stables banner alongside her brother James, has sent out 30 point-to-point winners including six this term, was delighted with her initial victory on the racecourse.
“That was our first track winner, so we are very happy all round. He had very good bumper form coming here today, and he ran in a very good point-to-point at Monksgrange, so in fairness we thought a lot of him coming here,” she said.
“He was progressing along nicely and there was a small mistake from Paul’s (Townend) horse so after that we were expecting him to do the job.
“This is my first winner on the track as a trainer. I got the licence in March, so I have probably had seven or eight runners.
“I’m thrilled for the owners as Charlie has been very good, he has been with us a long time, so happy to see him get his win today.”
