Brien Kane and Gavin Cromwell have struck up a profitable partnership this year, and the pair were on the mark again as Magical Mother justified favouritism in the Thurles Handicap Chase.

The field was reduced to seven with three non-runners including yesterday's Fairyhouse winner Fr Humphrey (coughing), and Magical Mother was well-backed on track into 5/2 (from 7/2).

Kane, riding his eighth winner since renewing his licence this year, struck the front two out on the Milan mare, and drew clear before the last to beat Bills Official by six and a half lengths.

Kane said, "She's done it extremely well today, and I probably should have had a look turning in to see how well everyone else was going. Gavin has given me every chance and shown plenty of faith in me.

"She's not the quickest mare in the world and was a bit slow away but once she got to the front she gets into a nice rhythm and pops away."

Owner Thomas Browne, a farmer and plant hire contractor from Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, said "She gave us lots of problems and went wrong so we said we'd either retire her or give her a change of light (yard). My step-brother John Beamish previously trained her and had her right before she had the change of light.

"She opened up and came back to herself recently and we will definitely breed from her next year."

(TW & AM)