Rudy and Fenelon a good front-running partnership

Rudy Catrail (4/1) has shown himself to be a very effective front-runner on his day and made all in the Shanahan Power (QR) Handicap Chase in the hands of regular partner Shane Fenelon.

As he customarily does, he went off into a clear lead and, despite getting low at one or two fences, he was not for catching as he defeated 16/5 favourite Deadheat by six and a half lengths.

An easy winner over hurdles at Tipperary last month, he had finished well behind today’s market leader back over fences last time at Wexford, but emphatically turned around the form on this occasion.

Winning trainer Eamon ‘Dusty’ Sheehy, also amongst the winners of late with dual scorer Ardaghs Choice, explained: “His run in Wexford was a bridge too far for him and he jumped very poorly - maybe coming back from hurdles was the reason.

"We freshened him up since and I actually thought he'd win today to be honest.

"Shane (Fenelon) gets on brilliantly on him and you need to be brave on him.

"He could go back hurdling now from a lower mark."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes