In a thrilling showdown at Leopardstown, the highly favoured Crooked Tannie was in command until the final flight of the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle, where Zeeband emerged victorious.
Crooked Tannie, the odds-on favourite at 4/9, held a strong position entering the home stretch. However, jockey Danny Gilligan faced a challenge as Zeeband, ridden by Jack Gilligan, made a strong move to overtake.
At odds of 11/2, Zeeband managed to surpass Crooked Tannie just before the last flight, with another contender, Master Otis at 10/1, swiftly moving into second place.
In a nail-biting finish, Gilligan skillfully guided Zeeband past the rails in the final stretch as Master Otis closed in. Despite the challenger's impressive effort to catch up, Zeeband clinched victory by a neck at the finish line. Crooked Tannie struggled and finished third, trailing the runner-up by eight lengths.
Trainer Paul Gilligan expressed satisfaction with Zeeband's performance, stating,
"He had shown promise in previous handicaps, and perhaps I should have rested him after his recent race. Moving forward, he will return to competing in handicaps. Zeeband is a joy to train, and his owner, Paul Carty, runs a successful painting business in Boston."