DESPITE proving easy to back, Eight Till Late came out on top in the feature BoyleSports Handicap Chase, completing a hat-trick in the process.
The Peter Casey-trained nine-year-old started his winning sequence at Clonmel in June, recording his first win over fences at the Co Tipperary venue.
He was since successful over flights at Sligo and was sent off the 9/4 favourite (opened at 7/4) here under Andrew Ring.
Settled behind the leaders, the Early To Late Syndicate-owned gelding was third with a circuit to race, sweeping through to lead after two out.
He was soon pressed on the outer by Presenting Mahler and needed to be ridden in the closing stages to see off that rival by half a length.
“He actually won better than the margin because he idled a small bit in front,” Ring revealed. “He was going to go to Galway but bypassed it and thankfully came here and won. He could go to Listowel for a flat maiden, he has enough gears for that as well.”
Neddyvaughan was another favourite to prevail on the six-race card, but unlike Eight Till Late, this Christy Roche-trained gelding came in for plenty of market support.
Available at 13/2 in early shows, the son of St Jovite opened on-course at just 7/2, before going off a 3/1 chance under Jody McGarvey.
Towards the rear in the early stages, he improved into mid-division before five out, and was a closer fourth after the third last.
He loomed alongside leader Allied Victory after two out, and was ridden to the front on the run-in, keeping on best to see off that rival by a length and a half.
Members of Cill Dara Rugby Club make up the winning Beechpark Racing Syndicate and McGarvey later stated: “He is owned by a great bunch of lads who’d all be pals of mine and it’s great to ride a winner for your friends.
“He relaxed well and jumped well and doing those two things in a bad race was enough to get him through.”
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase also went the way the betting suggested, with the 9/10 favourite Dont Kick Nor Bite landing the spoils.
Recording her third win of the year, the Robert Tyner trained six-year-old improved to lead after the fifth last. She was pressed from two out by 50/1 outsider Drumlosh Sallie and needed to be ridden out on the run-in to see off that rival by two and a half lengths.
Barry Geraghty was aboard the Beneficial bay for his boss J.P. McManus, and the winning rider commented: “She was a little cold over the first couple of fences but warmed up well. She jumped nicely and did it as you’d hope she might, but had to work in the end.”
McManus and Geraghty had to settle for second with Roconga in the opening Darcy Contract Cleaning Beginners Chase.
Delegate took top honours here, with Davy Russell aboard the seven-year-old chesnut for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
Sent off the second choice of punters at 5/1, he improved to lead from the third, but was pressed from two out by the 8/11 favourite Roconga.
The duo had a brief scrap from the last, with Delegate staying on best in the closing stages to register a two and a half-length success.
“He jumped great, handled the ground okay and stayed going to the line, a typical one of Gordon’s,” Russell disclosed.
DEBUT
Russell and Elliott teamed-up with Free Of Charge in the concluding Glasshouse Hotel Handicap Chase, but this one finished down the field, as the Brian O’Connell-ridden Dorkas led home her 15 rivals.
Successful for John Jenkins in a bumper at Stratford in 2013, the daughter of Doyen was then off the track for well over three years, making her debut for Jimmy Finn at Naas in January.
Well-beaten at Galway last week, she opened on-course at 14s, before going off an 11/1 chance in the colours of Finn’s niece Amanda.
Settled behind the leaders on outer she improved into second after two out, and hit the front after the last, keeping on well from there to see off the staying-on Doolough Lad by one and three-quarter lengths.
Finn said afterwards: “She had a few spins over hurdles and that sharpened her up a little bit. We stepped her up in trip which was a help too.
“She lacks a gear. The track suited her and the ground suited her.”
Paul Townend also questioned the strength of the Kilcawley Construction Rated Chase after his mount Tiliver came home a comfortable seven and a half-length victor.
Sent off at 4/1, the Alan Fleming-trained bay raced in mid-division and did well to survive a bad mistake at the fourth last.
He recovered quickly from that error and improved to dispute the lead before the last, getting to the front on the run-in before stretching clear.
“It probably wasn’t the greatest race in the world but he got his head in front and hopefully he can build on it,” Townend remarked.
“He did well to survive a mistake down the back. He just frightened himself a bit and didn’t jump the last couple very well but he was dynamite up until that.”
“Barry (winning owner Barry Connell) was saying they thought he was going to be a lovely horse earlier in his career, but he just lost his way a bit. Hopefully he has matured and will fulfil his promise now.”
ACTING STEWARDS
D. Gavin, P.J.O’Connor, Dr J.F.Gillespie, R. Brabazon, H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
DRUMLOSH SALLIE (J G Carr): This Definite Article nine-year-old surprisingly got within two and a half lengths of Dont Kick Nor Bite. She has a point-to-point win to her name and should feature over the larger obstacles in the coming months.