Empresario gives Smith first Festival winner

Empresario saw them all off from the front for a gutsy win in the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase at Galway.

Mark Enright popped him away smartly from flagfall and the pair raced clear throughout. They had a reduced advantage of four lengths after the third last fence and the pursuers closed right up at the penultimate obstacle.

After the second last and the final fence, Empresario was there to be shot at by fully six horses. Tavern Times chased him towards the home bend with Hash Brown Vaxalco Guitar Pete The Herds Garden and Steps To Freedom jostling to get into contention.

Empresario was hard ridden by Enright straightening for home and refused to yield his advantage. He stayed on stoutly to win by two lengths at 12/1.

Guitar Pete (11/4) came through for second while Steps To Freedom (9/1) kept on for third a further three quarters of a length behind.

Trainer Matthew Smith said: "Mark gave him a great ride. His experience stood to him there. He's after running in a couple of chases and he's been very consistent. I'm delighted with that now.

"He was wandering around a little bit but his jumping was brilliant. It was his jumping that won it for him. He stuck at it well. It was great to get a Galway winner. I'm just trying to take it all in.

"That's my first at the Festival although I've only had a few runners. He wasn't doing a stroke in front but when the other horses came to him, he kept on well. He's entered up on Sunday, and we'll have to have a look at it."

Mark Enright said: "Unbelievable! He had the experience of a handicap chase in Killarney and jumped and travelled. We said going out we would nick a few lengths out the gate. The experience counted. He winged fences and I was able to fill him coming down the hill and he stayed at it.

"He's tough. He didn't do a tap for me all the way round. He was enjoying himself, ears pricked and it wasn't until we were turning in and a few came round me that he really stuck his head down and galloped. I winged the second last and got in a bit tight to the last and I was squeezing away. He seemed to love the hill! He really relished it. It's nice to get one here."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee