Rutledge and Fallen Forest a winning partnership

Siobhan Rutledge was seen to good effect with an all-the-way victory on board Fallen Forest in the first division of the extended mile and a half handicap at Bellewstown.

The 7lb claimer got her fractions right as, although her mount came off the bridle with over a quarter of a mile to travel, he kept toughing it out.

He responded to the jockey's urgings in the final furlong and raced home by a couple of lengths at 16/1 for trainer Bill Durkan. Varna Gold (5/1 from 13/2) couldn't get any nearer in second and was the same distance in front of No Trouble (11/4jf).

Assistant trainer Gary Bannon said: “He has a bit of a mind of his own. He has lots of ability and works really well at home. Siobhan got a tune out of him at Dundalk and we got her back today.

“We had him on the beach the other day to do a nice breeze and try to change his mind.

“He’ll probably mix it now between hurdles and the Flat. He got a bad fall over fences the last day and the chiropractor Anthony Coyne did a lot of work with him and got him back for today.

“He likes to be ridden cold but they don’t really come from behind here so we said we’d try and get an easy lead and he’s kept on well.

“For a big horse he likes to hear his hooves rattle and in fairness they have done a great job here with the ground.

“He might sneak into a mile and a half handicap at Galway.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee