Bitview Colin rewards Ryan's patience

Bitview Colin (14/1) powered away after the last to take the Paud, Sarah & Mary Fitzmaurice Memorial Handicap Chase in Listowel.

He crept into the race under James O'Sullivan rounding the home bend and was almost on terms jumping two out.

The nine-year-old gelding was nudged along to take over from Memory Tree racing to the last and readily scooted four and three quarter lengths clear on the run-in.

Runner-up Memory Tree went off the 5/2 favourite and was the same distance in front of 11/2 shot Different Spot

Trainer John Ryan said: "We were hitting the crossbar here all week so it's nice to get a winner.

"Bitview Colin had a serious leg injury and was off for two years. We nursed him, like all our horses, and I'd say if he was in another yard he probably wouldn't have come back.

"I ran him here the other evening and told James (O'Sullivan) to mind the horse and make sure he got around. He came out of that bouncing and I had him entered in this race so I decided to run him when the rain came, even though he'd like better ground.

"He was third in a valuable handicap hurdle here in 2016. He could make a nice novice chaser and it's possible he'll head to Killarney.

"He has a very illustrious sister Waitnsee (a dual winner for the yard) - she is a proper proper mare and they are out of a dam who cost quarter of a million. It is a beautiful pedigree and he could make a nice little novice chaser."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes