Desir Du Large

Desir Du Large probably won the two-mile-five-furlong maiden hurdle with more in hand than the bare winning margin. Quickly into a nice rhythm for Shane Fitzgerald, in the slipstream of the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Lasparas, his jumping was slick in the main and he moved easily into the lead when Lasparas wilted as they turned to race down the hill. He jumped the second last flight well and, when his main challenger Lonesome Boatman made a mistake at that obstacle, the race looked more or less over as a contest. But Desir Du Large had a look around him as they raced around the home turn, it appeared that he got lonely in front, and Lonesome Boatman closed up on him again by the time they got to the final flight. Once Joseph O’Brien’s horse was tackled again, however, he picked up again, he pulled out more on the run to the line and he appeared to win with plenty in hand.

Winner of his bumper at Fairyhouse in December 2018, the Gigginstown House Stud horse was off the track after that until he made his debut over hurdles in a Grade 2 contest at Navan last February. He ran a big race there to finish third behind two top class novices, Echoes In Rain and Belfast Banter, both Grade 1 winners subsequently, with Jesse Evans, who finished fourth in the Galway Hurdle off a mark of 139, two lengths back in third. His two runs earlier this summer were good, both over two miles, but it appeared that he appreciated the step up to two miles and five furlongs at Galway on Wednesday. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree, and he could progress again for going out further in trip. He will be of interest wherever he goes now over hurdles, and he could prove to be an exciting staying novice chaser if and when connections decide to go down that route.
Galway, 28^th July 2021