Chief defends his Connacht National crown

Aranhill Chief put in a determined display to land the www.thetote.com Connacht National Handicap Chase for the second year in-a-row.

Without a win since this race twelve months ago, the Stephen Mahon trained nine-year-old was last seen finishing a well-beaten sixth in the Mayo National at Ballinrobe.

Sent straight to the front by Kevin Sexton, the nine-year-old son of Blueprint was headed before the fifth by Heaney making a mistake at the next.

He regained his lead on the approach to five out, and while he was strongly pressed from the second last, he battled on gamely to prevail by a length and a quarter.

Sir Abbott (3/1jfav), who came with his challenge two out, had to settle for second under Barry Geraghty for Robert Tyner, while top-weight Mr Diablo (11/2) was five lengths back in third for the father and son team for Luke and Philip Dempsey. Tulsa Jack was the other joint-favourite (11/2 this morning and from 5's on-course), and he finished fifth under Jonathan Moore for Noel Meade.

Mahon, who was also on the mark at Limerick on Saturday, said afterwards: "He's a tough little horse and winning this race with him last year was the first time I was so impressed with him.

"However that evening, I thought he broke his pelvis being left out in the field and I was so long getting him back and when he did come back, he wasn't jumping as good as the way he could.

"I was disgusted with the way he jumped at Ballinrobe - he was like a horse going out for a beginners chase for the first time.

"It was duck-or-no-dinner with him the other morning when I rode him at five furlong pace over fences and he schooled really well.

"My horses were out of form but they're back now and he'll go back and try to win the Galway Blazers again (won it in 2014)."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes