Rossvoss puts it all together

Rossvoss sauntered home in the Grade B Tara Handicap Hurdle at Navan to land the 30,000 euro pot for Ted and Katie Walsh.

The seven-year-old raced off bottom weight of 9-10 but was three pounds out of the handicap, so despite winning when last seen in a Punchestown handicap chase, went off a 14/1 chance here.

The leader, Misty Lady hit the third last hard and Rossvoss eased his way to the front coming to the second last. He quickly moved clear between the last two flights and came in by 18 lengths from Bentelimar (13/2). Jimmy Two Times on his first run for 225 days, kept on for third under Declan Lavery at 14/1. He was a further five and a half lengths back.

Ted Walsh said: "That was great and it was a good pot to win.

"He was a couple of pounds out of the handicap and he had never run to his chase rating over hurdles before. He had 22lb to spare on his chase mark.

"He had blinkers on for the first time and it worked as he travelled. Ruby rode him the last day and said he was dossing and thought he was going to drop out at halfway.

"The only worry with blinkers was that he might run a bit keen in the heavy ground but he travelled super and jumped super.

"He's always promised to do something like that. He was a different horse today and ran to his chase mark. It's the first day when I've thought he had a chance and he has delivered.

"It's a nice one to win and he'll probably run in a chase next over Christmas."

Katie Walsh added: "We always thought a lot of him and he has disappointed on more than one occasion but when he really puts it all together he did today what I thought he would have done a long time ago to be honest.

"I'd say the blinkers made all the difference and with the weight as well he was in off a nice mark. It's a good pot and it's nice to be able to win it for Mr Desmond as well.

"He's always had a lot of ability and his work was brilliant and then when we run him he would do nothing but disappoint which is never a great sign. Today is the first day he has really won with the authority that we thought he was capable of.

"He has schooled around the cross country fences as well. He's seven but he's starting to show something."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson