Bracka Back To Sligo for a win

Back To Bracka first gave notice that he was a horse to keep in mind when fourth in a bumper at Sligo last October. A Galway bumper winner after that, the Rudimentary gelding was back to Cleveragh to double his career total in the Martinstown Opportunity Maiden Hurdle under Mickey Butler.

As has been the theme throughout on this programme so far, Back To Bracka, like the four previous winners, made the most of the running.

He was pressed at the second last but ridden to assert from before the last, Back To Bracka, the 6/4 favourite, kept on strongly on the run-in to beat Polish Partisan by seven lengths.

Mrs Christina Kelly owns Back To Bracka and her son Noel, who trains the seven-year-old, is currently on holiday in Spain.

D.E. Splaine, rider of Skehana Bridge trained by John Patrick Ryan, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a respiratory noise in the latter stages and finished distressed. (AM & EM)