Cowboy puts best hoof forward

Former point-to-point and handicap hurdle winner (was with Pat Martin at that stage) Hold Em Cowboy isn't the easiest horse to catch right but he made bottom-weight count in the Dunsany Handicap Chase under Declan Bates at Navan. The 16/1 chance was continuing the good run for bookmakers at Proudstown Park this afternoon.

On the run-in it looked like the nicely-backed Ballyburke was going to get to Hold Em Cowboy but the victor pulled out more when required to win by three parts of a length. Well-backed this morning, the favourite, Shootin The Breeze was impeded jumping three out and he was soon struggling to get to the principals. He eventually had to settle for fourth place.

Willie Codd trains Hold Em Cowboy for the Office Boys Syndicate and he was absent at the sales cross-channel.

Declan Bates said: "When the other horse came to me I thought he was beat but he battled on well." Tiernan's Terror finished 11th of the 11 finishers here and his rider Roger Loughran got a 2 day ban for using his whip when out of contention.(AM & EM)