ZANAHIYR (7/4 favourite) gained his first win over fences at Thurles’ rescheduled meeting on Tuesday as Gordon Elliott’s Champion Hurdle-placed gelding scored by a half-length from Aspire Tower.

Both horses raced clear of the field and while Aspire Tower travelled much the better through the race, Zanahiyr found plenty for jockey Jack Kennedy to edge ahead on the run-in.

Regarding the Bective Stud-owned winner, Kennedy said: “It was a good performance and I suppose he was really only getting going (at the finish). He is a good age now (seven), gets further than two miles so I’m delighted that he got his head in front.

“I was keen to be forward and wasn’t concerned about the distance although in the race, I thought Rachael (Blackmore on Aspire Tower) was quickening away from me. He knuckled down though and dug in.

“He can step up in distance but is also okay over a strongly run two miles so there are plenty of options.”

Walsh

The other chase on the card was the Racing Again February 22nd Handicap and was won for the second successive year by Added Bonus, which had provided his trainer Brendan Walsh with his first career winner 12 months ago.

Ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe the well-backed 5/1 chance scored by six lengths from McGrath From Clune and afterwards Walsh said: “He means a lot to me as he gave me my first winner in this race last year.

“He is a trier, loves that ground and loves to be fresh. I’m delighted for his owners Derry and Una Fitzpatrick, who are from Kanturk.

“He’s not a big horse but tries his heart out and needs to be fresh so won’t run now for five or six weeks. Darragh was great on him today.”

THERE were three maiden hurdles and while none were won by the ‘super power’ yards. Paul Gilligan’s Kings Hill’s success in the second division of the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle set him up for a tilt at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Ridden by his son Jack, the grey gelding’s success as 4/7 favourite was hard-gained as runner-up Crooked Tannie was game with his effort but ultimately failed by three and a quarter lengths.

“It didn’t look the strongest race but that is always the worst race to watch!” said Gilligan.

“Off his Leopardstown run you’d have to say he’d win. I have him entered up plenty since Leopardstown but was just waiting for nice ground and the ground today wasn’t his ideal ground.

“Of course we would love to go to Cheltenham and the Supreme Novices’ is a month today, although today’s performance wasn’t good enough to win a Supreme. I wouldn’t chance running him before it though.

“Tony Costello (consignor) mentioned him to me in Doncaster and in fairness to Paul Lyons, living in London, and Tom Quinn they bought him between them.”

Caldwell

The opening division saw Stagecoach Mary score for trainer Garry Caldwell and jockey Kevin Sexton, as the pair scored by three quarters of a length from Clonshire River.

“We changed tactics with her today and it worked well,” said Caldwell. “She is very genuine, would give you her all and we bought her to eventually go chasing.

“We’ll take her home now and give her a little break. We’re quiet at the moment with eight or nine riding out but are ticking along. I haven’t had a National Hunt runner for a long time and only took back out a license this year.”

The Liam Cusack-trained, Richie Deegan-partnered Our Boy Rocky (2/1 joint-favourite) improved in two recent hurdle runs when landing the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle for owner John Murray.

Afterwards the trainer said: “He is a fine horse, he had two nice runs in maiden hurdles and came out of Limerick well. I saw this race where he was getting allowances from bumper winners and while the other horse (morning favourite St Cuthberts Cave) came out, I was hopeful either way.

“We like him, he jumps great and Richie gave him a nice positive ride. He is fragile mentally so will let him learn his job. He is a novice until December so we’ll see how he progresses and he could possibly jump fences next season.”

SCARBOOK landed the Killinan Handicap Hurdle on his first start for trainer Paul Nolan, when scoring by four and quarter lengths from Seangoell under Sean Flanagan.

Nolan reported: “I said to Sean to try and have him hitting the line well so we know where we are going the next day so we are pleasantly surprised.

“Our connection with the horse comes from Andrew Shore who hurls for and is captain of our local club Davidstown-Courtnacuddy. Andrew is a son-in-law of the owner John Coyne and I’m delighted he won today. We’ll aim him at something similar next.”

Willie Mullins ran three horses in the concluding John Thomas McNamara Series Bumper and, in almost customary manner, he saw a one-two-three as the Munir/Souede-owned Coco Masterpiece (4/5 favourite) scored under the champion trainer’s nephew, Charlie Mullins.

The winner pulled hard but held on to beat Fishery Lane by a half-length, with another stablemate Ballygunner Castle running on for third place.

Jockey Charlie Mullins later said: “At the start John Ryan’s horse (Foildarrig) was running away and we collided together but once we got our head in front going down the hill, he dropped it (the bit) for me.

“He is very big, is well developed, was point-to-pointing as a four-year-old and I think he will be a very nice horse in the future.”