Joshua leaves it late in three-miler

The Gordon Elliott-trained Nobel Joshua lunged late to land the spoils in a tight finish to the Derrinlaur Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Clonmel.

There were plenty in with a shout turning for home in the three-miler and it was a long run-in with the two flights in the home straight taken out due to the low lying sun. Thousand Tears had a narrow lead bypassing the normal second last but was worn down by Hello Pilgrim inside the final furlong.

He was pipped on the line, however, as Sean O'Keeffe conjured a late charge from 12/1 shot Nobel Joshua for a head success.

The winning four-year-old was recording his first success over jumps having won on the Flat for previous connections.