JOSEPH’S EARLY FINISH

AN incredible week for Joseph O’Brien ended on a high as Early Doors landed the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle at

Naas yesterday.

The recent Wexford maiden hurdle winner took this major step up in class in his stride to provide jockey Mark Walsh with the middle leg of a treble.

Early Doors brushed aside Duca De Thaix before the last and kept on well to defeat

Meri Devi by two lengths.

This four-year-old has quickly shaped up into one of the brightest novice hurdling prospects in the country.

Earlier, Walsh combined with Noel Meade’s exciting Red Jack, who won nicely on his hurdling debut in the opening maiden.

The Walsh treble was completed by Oscar Knight who bagged the valuable Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle for Tom Mullins.

Elsewhere, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy notched up a double which began when Ball D’Arc secured the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase.

The winner is likely to tackle Grade 1 company in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown next month.

Elliott then struck with Mossback, who made a mockery of his 33/1 starting price to win a strong looking beginners chase.

The most impressive performance of the day came from the Willie Mullins-trained Next Destination in the second of the maiden hurdles.

A high class bumper horse last season, he trounced several quality rivals with lots to spare under Paul Townend.

GREAT WEEK Joseph O’Brien