Donoghue Well after Fairyhouse opener

Two weeks ago at Fairyhouse Keith Donoghue missed a winning ride, but today at the Meath track he deputised on the Gordon Elliott-trained Woods Well in the opening Happy New Year Maiden Hurdle and returned to the winners' enclosure to get 2017 off to a great start.

Donoghue stood in on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned runner as a replacement for the injured Bryan Cooper who sustained a bad injury on the
last day's racing of 2016 at Punchestown yesterday.

Cooper sustained a fractured pelvis after he was unseated from the Joseph O'Brien-trained Arkwrisht in a novice chase.

Donoghue was originally booked to ride Golden Jewel in the Fairyhouse opener for Batterstown trainer Edward Cawley, but was drafted in by his boss  Gordon Elliott.

Iit proved to be a winning move as the Dunshaughlin man won by over seven lengths from Noel Meade's Gettysburg Address in second and the Willie Mullins favourite C'est Jersey in third place.