The Busy Fool stays on an upward curve at Naas

The Busy Fool continued his progression with victory in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle at Naas.

The Thurles bumper winner was placed in his first three starts over obstacles before opening his account on his handicap debut at Tipperary in the spring.

Making his first appearance since that April success, The Busy Fool was sent off at 11-2 for this €45,000 contest, with 7lb claimer Tiernan Power Roche in the saddle for trainer Philip Rothwell.

There were plenty still in with a chance jumping the final flight, but The Busy Fool refused to yield in front and passed the post with three-quarters of a length in hand over Park Of Kings, with 100-30 favourite Sir Allen only a length further behind in third.

“He’s a lovely big horse. They are a great crowd of guys to train for and they’ve been hugely lucky, we’ve had a lot of winners,” said Rothwell. “They’ve been very patient with this horse, he was a big weak horse. You can see he’s a big, backward fella.

“I didn’t want to go over fences until next season so we said we’d keep him for a few hurdle races this year. He won in Tipperary last season over two miles and I felt the step up to two and a half would suit. Obviously Tiernan’s claim got rid of his winner’s penalty.

“The form of the race in Tipperary worked out well, the horse that was second to him was second in Punchestown at the festival.”

Rothwell was particularly pleased with the performance of his jockey, adding: “I think Tiernan will be very important to me this year for some of those handicaps. It was great to have him on board and great that he rode a good winner.

“He got a very easy lead, he came up the home straight the first time with his ears pricked going a nice, steady gallop.

“I was going to look at the two-mile handicap in Fairyhouse, but we’d want a lot of rain for that. We’ll creep away. He can come back a bit in trip with an ease in the ground.”