Darsi a welcome winner for O'Dwyer

Go Darsi Go ended a long barren spell for his trainer Conor O'Dwyer (first winner since October 2014) as he took the last at Roscommon, the Follow Us On Facebook Beginners Chase.

Beaten by just a head in the Martinstown Opportunity Final at the Punchestown Festival, the seven-year-old son of Darsi was expected to go one place better today on his first start over fences (did finish third in a point-to-point).

Having opened at 11/10 on-course, the Philip Reynolds owned bay was sent off the 10/11 market leader under Davy Russell.

Settled behind the leaders, he jumped well throughout and took closer order with over a circuit to race.

He hit the front three out and went a few lengths clear after the next, keeping on well from there to score by fourteen lengths.

The front-running Annamatopoeia (6/1) finished second under Benny Walsh for Brian Jordan, while Ice Cool was another fourteen lengths back in third.

Conor O'Dwyer said afterwards: "Never mind the cold list, if there was a frozen list I would be on it! We have just had an unbelievable bad run of it, and he was a shade unlucky at Punchestown.

"It was a smashing round of jumping, and he was good in his point-to-point the first day. I was half thinking of taking him out but there was some juice in the ground, although I wouldn't chance him on it again.

"If we get a wet couple of weeks he could run again but next winter will be his job. I think there is a good chase in him."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee