Yaiza continues his Tramore love affair

Yaiza made it three wins from five starts at Tramore, as he claimed the Pickardstown Rated Novice Chase on his first try over fences.

Successful at the venue last summer and again in August, the Liam Burke trained nine-year-old went down by just a neck on his most recent visit to the seaside track.

Sent off the 10/3 favourite (from 5s), the son of Well Made raced mainly in fourth under Darragh O'Keeffe and was pushed along in pursuit of the leader from three out.

Ridden to the front after the next he kept on well from there, holding off the late surge of Mick Charlie (13/2) and Ian Power by half a length.

Pat Coyne (7/2) and Itsalonglongroad (9/2) took each other on up front for most of the contest, but both eventually faded with the former finishing third another under Denis O'Regan for John Queally.

Burke said: "Talk about horses for courses! He was unlucky the last day, we went wide with him and we shouldn't have. His first run here this year he got murdered on the inside and he is not a big horse. We decided to go wide the last day and he lost a lot of ground.

"He was good today. I thought two miles might be a bit sharp for him and they went a right good gallop. It played into his hands.

"He is a fierce genuine horse but he wouldn’t impress you at home. This is not a place for a slow horse, but he just loves it here and it's hard to figure him out.

"Ground is the key to him. He wouldn't like it too heavy and he is more of a summer horse. We might get a race for him around Thurles as the ground there won't get too soft, we'll see. It’ll probably be hard enough to place him now.

"It’s grand to win three with him anyway and Darragh gave him a super ride."