Darenjan appreciates the good ground

Darenjan provided trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon with a welcome win as he took the Thurles Racecourse Handicap Chase under Andrew McNamara.

The versatile 10yo son of Alhaarth was recording his eighth career success today and he was sent off at 11/1.

Having chased the leaders for much of the contest he made headway into third at the fourth last fence.

The 3/1 favourite Uncle Tom Cobley who was around five lengths clear, then made a bad mistake at the third last and Darenjan took advantage of this as he took up the running.

He was ridden before the last and he kept on well to record a comfortable eight length success from the Conor O’Dwyer trained, Davy Russell ridden Uncle Tom Cobley in second.

The front duo went thirteen lengths clear of Moiqen who finished third at 4/1 under Mark Walsh for Philip Byrne.

Hanlon said afterwards: "He is better on good ground and he just never got it last year. He will go to Punchestown for something now.

"The horses are beginning to come back into form. I had a point-to-point winner recently and Rachel (his partner Rachel O’Neill) won the Charity Race on Clondaw Warrior on Tuesday.

"I have forty horses in and they are all summer horses, I don’t really have any winter horses."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes