Blow By Blow beaten but Elliott bandwagon rolls on with midweek treble

All eyes at Fairyhouse were on the return and hurdles bow of Grade 1-winning bumper star Blow By Blow, making his first start for Gordon Elliott, but it was instead the turn of another Gigginstown-owned runner, Mind's Eye, to land the decisive blow.

Mind's Eye, recent runner-up to Samcro at Punchestown, was given a tactically masterful ride by Davy Russell, refusing to give an inch of ground at the second-last to Paul Townend, who tried to elbow his way into the clear on hurdles debutant Quick Grabim.

The winner showed a stylish turn of foot to overcome his rivals by a cosy half-length, while Blow By Blow, apparently in need of the run after an absence of 567 days, drifted from opening shows of 1-4 and 1-3 out to 2-1 co-favourite and returned a respectable third after getting in tight to the last.