A Decent Excuse is tops at Thurles

A Decent Excuse was weighted to reverse Clonmel form from three weeks ago with Baily Dusk and so it proved as Paddy Kennedy (first winner back having broken his leg during the summer) picked up a welcome winner in the Thurles Handicap Chase.

Baily Dusk made a bold bid from the front and he jumped fantastically under Ben Dalton. Only three had a chance from some way out and it was down to two when Caddy Man came a cropper at the fence before the straight.

Eugene O'Sullivan 's A Decent Excuse got the better of Baily Dusk from before the last, going on to oblige by three and three parts of a length. There was a huge gap of thirty nine lengths back to Cnoc Na Gcon in third.

O'Sullivan, who lately had the pleasure of supplying his son Eoin with his first winner in the saddle on The Hollinwell in a Grennan point-to-point, said: "It wasn't before time and he'll go for something similar over Christmas if he gets in.

"Paddy comes down to ride out twice a week and his brother Michael is my head lad." (TW & EM)