Hisaabaat earns crack at Triumph Hurdle

Report: Leopardstown, Sunday

Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) 4yo, 2m

DERMOT WELD took the Spring Juvenile Hurdle for a second year running as Triumph Hurdle contender Hisaabaat won by under two lengths from Shadow Catcher.

The winner was cut for the festival race to 16-1 (from 25) by BetVictor and to 14-1 (from 25) by Paddy Power.

His stablemate Unaccompanied, who won the race last year, went on that season to finish second in the Triumph Hurdle.

Weld said: "We won this last year and the logical route is to have a crack at the Triumph Hurdle with him."

Coming into the race off a three-race string of seconds and without a victory over hurdles, Hisaabaat, wearing blinkers over jumps for the first time, was given a well-timed ride by jockey Andrew Lynch.

He waited and watched as the prominently-ridden Sportsmaster and Shadow Catcher fought a brief battle for the lead turning into the home straight.

Shadow Catcher got the better of that scrap but approaching the last hurdle Hisaabaat was looming with intent, and the positions had been decisively swapped within the first few yards of the run-in.

"I thought he got a lovely ride there from Andrew," said Weld. "He's what I call a 'made hurdler' from the Flat. He's taken a bit of time but he's getting his act together."

Race favourite Ut De Sivola was ridden patiently by Ruby Walsh but never got close enough to write his own chapter in the story of the race, while Countrywide Flame completed the places in third.