'It wouldn't shock me if he ended up back here in the Drinmore' - dream return for Kennedy as Croke Park impresses

Champion jockey Jack Kennedy had watched Sam Ewing make hay while he was serving a suspension, but the sheriff is back in town and returned at Fairyhouse with a short-priced double. 

The performance of Croke Park in the opening beginners' chase was the highlight. The Gigginstown-owned son of Walk In The Park, winner of a Grade 3 novice hurdle last year, showed that and everything else he did over hurdles to be a potential bonus, as he put in an impeccable round of jumping to give 7lb and a three-quarter-length beating to the more experienced chaser Iris Emery. The season promises much if he can build on this.

Trainer Gordon Elliott said: "Jack said he was only doing what he had to do and was very idle in front, but there is a lot of improvement in him. It's a nice starting point. He'll go with an ease in the ground as well. He won a Grade 3 at Navan last year and we had a few problems after that. We'll see how he is, but it wouldn't shock me if he ended up back here in the Drinmore."

Mediator finally gets his turn

If The Mediator had lived up to his name over hurdles, unconditional surrender would have been the most common outcome, but Jack Kennedy was not content to let him spurn another opportunity as he landed the 2m maiden hurdle at the 12th time of asking.

Despite the eight-and-a-half-length margin of victory, it was not plain sailing as two deliberate jumps at the final two flights gave evidence as to where the horse's mind was, but Kennedy's forceful ride paid dividends.

Elliott said: "He deserved to win; he's been knocking on the door for a long time so it's great. He's got loads of ability but has been frustrating. We'll stick him in a handicap now and see how he does.”

Any Road gives notice

Edward O'Grady expressed his disappointment with how last season went for Any Road after a successful seasonal debut at Clonmel a year ago, and he will be hoping that a similar fate does not befall him in the coming season as he impressively landed the 2m4½f rated hurdle after six months off.

The Walk In The Park gelding picked up quite impressively here for Mark McDonagh, and while odds-on favourite What's Up Darling hung and jumped left late on, the winner ran straight and true and won quite decisively, giving the veteran trainer a pleasant surprise.

"I was a bit disappointed with him last year, he was just below par, but he had been working nicely. I was hopeful rather than confident it being his first run," said O'Grady. 

"We'll go to a handicap now and work from there; he should get into the good handicap hurdle here at the end of the month. I didn't think he would get in off 124 so hopefully winning this should take care of that. I was very pleased with that, especially on that ground."  

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