Jockey Mark Walsh is giving chase to Paul Townend at the head of the Jockeys' Championship at present and moved to within eight wins of that rival when steering the Colin Bowe trained Lily Of Killarney to win the Honouring Oliver Handicap Chase at Downpatrick today.

The mare was headed and looked beaten at the second last fence but to her credit, responded gamely on the run-in to forge clear close home for a three and a half lengths win over Cerca Trova

Wexford based Bowe was absent but the win was Walsh's 29th of the new season and he later stated “she gives everything and once I got over the last I gave her a smack and she took off.

“Colin (Bowe) put the blinkers on her to help her concentrate and it worked great- she's small and nimble and wings round the bends.”

The winner is owned by the Irish Tenors Return Syndicate, including Irish tenors Dr Ronan Tynan and Anthony Kearns.

The race was run in honour of the late, great Oliver Brady and fittingly featured one of his old stalwarts and seven times winner Duroob Now racing for Brady's successor Anthony McCann, the 12 year old finished down the field on what was his 120th career start.

Quotes from Michael Graham