Light too strong for Carlow at Gowran

The market suggested that not many of the fifteen runners would count in the opening Join Us For Kilkenny GAA Day Beginners Chase at Gowran and so it proved as second favourite Leavethelighton beat the 'jolly' Followmeuptocarlow with fourteen lengths back to the third placed Shamiran

Roger Loughran on Followmeuptocarlow looked like he'd pick up Mickey Butler on Leavethelighton between the final two fences.

However Tom Foley's 11/10 shot hasn't always been the strongest of finishers and Loughran was at pains to wait until as late as possible to ask for maximum effort.

As it was, the luckless thus far Leavethelighton, here making his chase debut, fought off Followmeuptocarlow up the run-in to prevail by three parts of a length.

Eoin Doyle trains the successful Oscar seven-year-old for his mother Pauline and he said: "He was a bit unlucky not to win over hurdles and he's been crying out for fences.

"I thought it was a nice performance for his first run over fences although he was spending a bit of time in the air.

"He stayed out on the better ground, which he said he would, and there could be a nice handicap chase in him down the line." (AM & EM)