Swallow swoops to open account under rules

Follow The Swallow justified some support at fancy prices to land the opening Templemore Beginners Chase under Sean Flanagan at Thurles.

The Liz Doyle-trained gelding was available at 50/1 this morning and backed on track from 33/1 into 16/1 for this 2m2f event.

The Templenacarriga point-to-point winner had taken on the likes of Douvan and Irish Grand National contender Bonny Kate earlier this season and was reappearing after a four-month break.

The son of Dr Massini travelled well to challenge two out and got on top on the run-in to beat Macs Legend himself the subject of some support into 7/1 (from 10/1) and not helped by a mistake at the last, by three quarters of a length.

The odds-on favourite Chatam House Rule made most of the running but could find no extra from before the last to finish a further three lengths back in third.

Ms Doyle said, "The ground is a huge thing for him and he was wrong the last day he ran when he ran terrible.

"His jumping was worth 10 lengths to him and, while he ran in a heap of point to points, he doesn't stay three miles. We might look for a handicap next."

(TW & AM)