Crambo edges Paisley Park at Ascot to win Long Walk Hurdle
Crambo, a fast-improving six-year-old trained by Fergal O’Brien, denied the veteran Paisley Park in the final strides of the Long Walk Hurdle on Saturday, edging in front by a short head at the line to give his trainer only the second victory of his career at Grade One level.
O’Brien took the difficult decision to replace Connor Brace, Crambo’s regular jockey, with the more experienced Jonathan Burke for the race and the move looked fully justified as Burke squeezed home from one of the most consistent and talented staying hurdlers of recent seasons.
Crambo, sent off at 5-1, was cut from 20-1 to around 8-1 for March’s Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, a meeting where O’Brien, currently fifth in the race for the trainers’ championship, has yet to register a winner.
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