Ruby Lends punters A Hand

The booking of Ruby Walsh looked significant aboard Lend A Hand Son in the two miles beginners chase, and the 6/4 favourite didn’t disappoint as he finished strongly to land the spoils.

The former champion needed to create a gap between horses at the second last but he soon settled the issue, and was driven out to beat the staying on Total Excitement (12/1) by three and a quarter lengths. Grey Soldier (11/2) cut out most of the running but was found wanting once the favourite went on, and the blinkered grey finished a further two and three quarter lengths back in third.

Winning trainer Michael Hourigan said, “He’s been threatening that for a while but our horses haven’t been firing. We had the luck tonight, and he’ll probably stick to fences for the moment and mix it later in the summer.

“I didn’t think he’d still be a maiden on the Flat but he’s been a good servant and Ruby said he was never worried during the race.”

(Additional reporting by Donal Murphy)