Bella Bliss rewards her owners in Down Royal

Bella Bliss foiled a gamble on Cocoplum in the Club Orange Hurdle over three miles in Down Royal.

Cocoplum (40/1 - 14/1) made a bad mistake at the last and was soon headed by Bella Bliss who stayed on well for Eoin Walsh to win by two and a-half lengths at 3/1.

Cocoplum had to settle for second, a neck in front of Holmes St George (5/2).

Trainer John McConnell said: "She was very unlucky the last day in Hexham (when second), she should have won.

"She came out of it very well and the guys Claire (Wylie) and Mark (Devlin, owners) wanted to come here. When we saw the entries, we said it was worth a crack.

"She has done it well, she's a pretty decent mare. She has a bit of class about her.

"I think she will go chasing at some point in the summer, but we might have a crack at another hurdle in the meantime.

"She has been a very consistent mare and I wouldn't mind a few more like her. "