Wither Hills benefitted from a powerful late drive by Robbie Power to land the spoils in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Navan.

The complexion of the race changed a few times in the straight, with Balrath Hope delivering a strong challenge only to stumble badly on landing two out giving Robbie Colgan little chance of staying in the saddle. The Bugler was just headed when crashing out at the final flight, and Shanroe Society looked sure to score when asserting early on the run-in.

However Power never gave up on Wither Hills, and the 8/1 chance got up in the closing stages to score by half a length and provide trainer Brian Hamilton with a welcome 44th birthday present. Marshim well backed in the morning from 16/1 and sent off a 7/1 chance, was a further two and a half lengths adrift in third.

Hamilton said, “He had an issue with his back with kissing spines. We got him injected and it seems to have made all the difference.

“I was worried about the ground but he seemed to handle it, and he’s a proper two-mile horse. We’ll see what the handicapper does and he could go over fences soon.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson