Ballylibert jumps a fence ahead of Fitzgutentyte© Photo Healy Racing
After going close on a couple of occasions in the past, point-to-point winner Ballylibert finally got it right on the racecourse, as he took the second division of the Ladbrokes Handicap Chase under Phillip Enright.
The Robert Tyner trained seven-year-old won a point-to-point at Dawstown in May but then disappointing on his next start at Tramore.
Reverting to hurdles on his latest start at Bellewstown, he finished a decent fifth to Cerveza Dinero, and back over fences this evening he was sent off at 9/1 (opened at 11/1 on-course).
Having raced in second for much of the contest, the son of Bach improved to lead at the third last. He was ridden and pressed before the second last, but he kept on well under pressure on the run-in to score by half a length. Blaze Of Fire (7/1) stayed on well on the run-in but he couldn’t peg back the winner and he had to settle for second under Mark Walsh for Nina Carberry (would have been Carberry’s first win as a trainer). Fitzgutentyte (13/2) finished two and a half lengths back in third under Robbie Power for Colm Murphy, while the front-running 4/1 favourite, Breffni Gael faded in the home straight and finished a disappointing ninth under Andrew Lynch.
The winner is owned by Mary Hayes, and her silks were of course made famous by Newmill, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2006.
Robert Tyner said afterwards: "He handled that ground and he was given a top class ride by Phillip.
"He'll probably go for a handicap chase now at Roscommon on August 6th. He will go back hurdling as well, as he is entitled to win a hurdle.
"I've a few summer horses this year but I can't get them in. Entries are huge and they are being balloted out."
Nina Carberry, trainer of the runner-up, said afterwards: "Hopefully we will go one place better the next day. He ran great.
"It is difficult to din races for him at the moment but hopefully we will get him in somewhere."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
