Knockraha reigns on handicap debut

Patience was rewarded as Knockraha King overcame previous training problems to take the Minorstown Handicap Hurdle at odds of 12/1 at Clonmel.

The eight-year-old gelding was having just his fifth outing over hurdles and his first in a handicap.

Paul Townend produced the son of King’s Theatre to lead before two out, and he kept on under pressure on the run-in to beat Rock On Barney by half a length.

The pair pulled 17 lengths clear of Rock On Lilly in third.

Winning trainer Adrian Maguire said, “He showed us glimpses of ability in bumpers but he’s had problems and a big thank you to the vet Ger Kelly. His form tailed off and he’s had his problems but he’s on the way back. You couldn’t be confident but we were just hopeful.

“I think anything that wins today has done well as it’s fairly testing. Hopefully he’s alright in the morning and we’ll see where we go.”