Smadynium keeps up momentum for Shark

Smadynium made it three wins from his last four starts when taking the Club Strand Restaurant Handicap Chase in fine style at Clonmel.

The eight-year-old grey joined Shark Hanlon after winning at Hexham in September, and subsequently won again at Fairyhouse last month.

Rachael Blackmore again adopted the favoured forcing tactics, and she was looking around for dangers approaching the second last.

The 3/1 favourite stayed on strongly to beat Simple Steps by a convincing eight lengths, with Show And Go another six lengths away in third. Theos Well took a very heavy fall when battling it out for the minor money at the last but thankfully both the Mick Winters-trained gelding and rider Ambrose McCurtin walked away afterwards.

Hanlon said, "He was 5lbs well-in coming here having been second the last day; we were probably unlucky then when he was crossed by a horse at the start and he got left and wasn't able to make the running.

"He's a fun horse and has won two out of three since we got him and has his job done. He'll run next at Christmas but I've haven't looked at any races beyond today."

(TW & AM)