The King Of Brega scores in incident-packed handicap

The King Of Brega has proved a grand servant to connections and recorded his ninth success in an incident-packed Matty Ryan Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Thurles.

Just six of the ten runners completed the two-mile event with the drama starting at the third flight where Like An Open Book fell and brought down Lareena Tourboy was another to depart when falling in front at the third last.

Daniel Holden produced The King Of Brega (7/1) to lead approaching the final flight, and the easy-to-back top-weight kept on strongly on the run-in to score by six and a half lengths. Ask Nile took the runner-up spot with Smiling Eliza a further four and a quarter lengths adrift.

Robbie Power tried to squeeze up the inner (of Smiling Eliza) aboard Polished Steel between the final two flights but had to snatch up after his mount hit the spur of some railing.

The stewards subsequently reversed the placings with Polished Steel promoted to third, with Smiling Eliza placed fourth.

Winning trainer Henry de Bromhead said, "He seems to be improving with age and is a pleasure to have in the yard.

"He has thrived on it (good ground) and I don't know when he'll get a break at this rate. I keep saying when he runs badly, but he just keeps going forward.

"We are getting pretty high (in the ratings) now but I've no race in mind. He does want a break at some stage."

(TW & AM)