Dollar survives stumble to land Downpatrick feature

Dollar Value (14/1) recorded his second success at Downpatrick, as he overcame a near race ending mishap to take the Randox Health Rated Hurdle.

Settled in second by Darragh O'Keeffe, the grey gelding stumbled badly approaching the fifth where he subsequently wasn't fluent.

He was sent to the front before the second last and while Run For Oscar threw down a persistent challenge on the run-in, the Tom McCourt trained victor kept on gamely to score by a length-and-a-half.

The runner-up was returned the 6/5 favourite under Phillip Enright for Cathal Byrnes, while Humm Baby was another fifteen lengths back in third.

"He got very free and last year he won with a citation bit on him because he was doing too much early in his races," McCourt revealed.

"We put that on him the last couple of times and he went to plant himself and I don't know whether it was that or whether he was just in the mood today. I left everything off him today to change things.

"He's a very good horse and I think he is definitely able to win a proper decent race. He's not totally straightforward but he has serious ability. He won his novice chase here from right off the pace. He has a bit of class.

"Darragh is a class act and he is never in the wrong place.

"If he didn't behave himself today, he was heading to the field. We will go back to the drawing board and pick something.

"He's well capable of winning on the flat as well, he ran a big race when Peregrine Run ran him down close home in Leopardstown. He probably didn't get a mile and seven. He has plenty of options."

STEWARDS REPORTS

M.P. O'Connor, rider of Scheu Time trained by J.A. Nash, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount never travelled.

The Stewards interviewed P.T. Enright, rider of Run For Oscar, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned who stated that the first two strikes were a long way out and his mount was not going forward for him. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were satisfied that P. T. Enright was in breach of Regulation 10.3.g, excessive frequency. Having considered P. T. Enright's record in this regard the Stewards suspended P. T. Enright for one raceday.

The Stewards requested a report from T.G.McCourt, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Dollar Value (USA), placed first, as compared with its most recent run. T. G. McCourt stated that his charge is a quirky sort who had recently refused to line up at Sligo and last time out at Galway on the 28th of July there were two false starts and his charge was reluctant to race on the third start. He added that his charge had raced with a positive attitude today and this coupled with a change of bit and leaving off any headgear had helped to bring about the apparent improvement in form. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the explanation given.

Additional reporting by Michael Graham