Hassett's 'Arkle' one for the handicapper!

Top-weight Battle Of Ridgeway (16/1) showed that he has an engine when picking up the second division of the Camida The Source Handicap Hurdle in Clonmel.

He made good headway for Brian Hayes to arrive with his challenge at the second-last, however, he wasn't fluent there and it was a similar story at the last, but he stormed home on the run-in to soon take over from Anstand

The new leader went on by a length and three parts, on handicap debut, from Roman Parish (28/1) who came through for second from Sixty Seconds (14/1), as Anstand dropped out of the places in the closing stages.

Trainer Martin Hassett said: "I nearly choked when I saw the handicapper gave him 94 and rang him to say he was raving, but after the phone conversation I thought I had Arkle! He was right and I was wrong.

"We left instructions to Brian (Hayes) but told him not to force him and to ride him wherever he was happy."

He added: "We thought he was going to be our retirement fund and went for point-to-points, but he was just immature and it didn't work out.

"It is hard to win first time in a handicap, but I thought he did it well and the horses are just flying at the moment. Maybe he yet could be the horse we thought he was."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes