Puturhandstogether (17/2) was the third Irish-trained winner of the day as the J.P. McManus-owned gelding won the Hallgarten & Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle [Fred Winter].
It was a 79th Festival winner for McManus, the winning-most owner in Festival history.
Winning trainer Joseph O’Brien, for whom it was a 5th Festival victory, said of the Mark Walsh-ridden winner:
“This race is always won by ex flat horses, but I suppose that is where the improvement has come from having run on winter ground then getting a bit of spring ground today as he seemed to really thrive on it.
“He did surprise me to be honest with you as to how easy he got there as coming here I thought he was in with a chance, but we didn’t think he was that well handicapped
“Mark gave him a great ride as the pace was on, but he took a sit and let them all at it. I would say that was probably the difference today.”
