John O'Riordan
Down The Highway gets up late to deny Lord Schnitzel
Down The Highway and Timmy Love.
© Photo Healy Racing
Down The Highway got up in the dying strides to chin long time leader Lord Schnitzel in the Jack Tyner Memorial Hunters' Chase at Cork.
A win looked unlikely for the Ciaran Murphy trained gelding for much of this race as the runnerup galloped on strongly at the head of affairs.
The leader began to send out distress signals on the run to the final fence but a big jump seemed to seal the race.
However, the Murphy trained horse had one last kick and stayed on stoutly to just get his head in front close home.
Well beaten in the Foxhunter Chase at Aintree last time, the nine-year-old would have appreciated the drop in grade.
Assistant Trainer Dot Love; "it is great to have the opportunity to stand in for Ciaran today and to have a winner and for my grandson to ride it makes it even better.
"Ciaran was riding out Enjoy D'allen yesterday morning and I said can I ride this horse and he said 'ah shur why not' and on we went, he was in great form!
"It was a brilliant ride and he trusted him. He went to the Foxhunters but didn't enjoy that so much. It was well worth the drive today."