If Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning and their many supporters thought it couldn't get better after an opening race double at Leopardstown they were wrong. Even 16/1 chances that were beaten as much as seventy three lengths eight day previous can win when a stable hits form, and Brontide left a tailed off Fairyhouse effort behind to land the spoils in the Jack L Handicap.

Declared to run with a 15,000 Euro purchase price in a claimer at Navan tomorrow, here Brontide soon led, but the game looked up for him when Power Struggle came to win his race from over a furlong out.

Indeed Andy Oliver's top-weight seemed to briefly lead inside the last, but where it matters most Brontide had gotten back to oblige by the minimum margin of just a nose.

"He's a great work horse. I'll have to think twice now about sending him for the claimer tomorrow night," said Bolger.

"He just won in a photo finish there so the handicapper has him just about right."

The Stewards requested a report from J. S. Bolger, trainer as to the apparent improvement in form of Brontide, placed first, as compared with its recent form. The trainer reported that his charge was never competitive on his last two starts. Regarding his penultimate race he added that the horse did not act in the cheekpieces. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the explanation offered.

(GC & EM)