The penny finally drops with Wells China

The Lar Byrne trained Wells China landed an on-course touch (12/1 into 7s) as he took the Give Blood for Life Handicap Hurdle under Martin Ferris.

The 3/1 favourite Real Appeal (6/1 this morning and opened at 4s on-course) travelled smoothly into the straight under Davy Russell but so did the winner.

On just his second start for Byrne, the seven-year-old son of Oscar, who was formerly trained by Michael Butler and Michael Fitzgerald, sprinted clear on the run-in to record a comfortable five length success from the Denis Ahern trained ‘jolly’ in second. Zane Grey completed the placings a further twelve lengths back in third under Andrew Lynch for Henry De Bromhead at 12/1.

Lar Byrne said afterwards: “I haven’t got him long. He is a bit of a character, as you saw at Down Royal, when he refused to race.

"We tried everything with him to get the penny to drop, we even done a bit of cross-country.

"He is owned by Damien Carroll from Dublin and he is a gentleman. He will go for another handicap next."