Berry completes well-backed handicap double

Fran Berry completed a double on the evening with Henry Higgins in the Backes & Strauss Handicap at Leopardstown and, like earlier winner Pyromaniac punters were not shy about showing their allegiance in early morning exchanges.

Available as big as 10/1, the J P McManus owned gelding was supported into 4/1 although the absence of general 5/1 chance Truthwillsetufree (in season) will cause some deduction to those odds.

However it was not all plain sailing for the 7/2 favourite who travelled smoothly towards the rear entering the straight.

Berry found himself with a wall of horses in front and nowhere to go, so he’d no option but to switch the Charles O’Brien-trained gelding to the wide outside a furlong out.

The four-year-old, successful over 1m2f here 12 months ago, appreciated this extra half-mile picking up strongly to collar Edge Of Sanity inside the final 50 yards. Silver Chief completed the placings in third.

O’Brien said, “He’ll continue to mix it. He was in over hurdles at Tipperary last night but it was a bit on the quick side.

“Today the ground was perfect, and we might have a bit of fun with him.”