Formal Bid clears the last under Paul Carberry© Photo Healy Racing
After winning the first with Crown Theatre Gordon Elliott and Paul Carberry doubled up in the fifth, the Thanking Prestige Caterers Beginners Chase, as Formal Bid justified even money favouritism.
The seven-year-old son of Oratorio ran a cracker on his debut over fences at Fairyhouse last Saturday, going down by just half a length to The King Of Brega.
The now seven-time winner proved easy to back on-course, drifting out to evens after opening at 4/7.
Settled in mid-division a good jump at the third last saw him dispute the lead and he hit the front after the next.
He was ridden out on the run-in and he kept on well under pressure to score by a length and three parts. Shershewill ran well to finish second at 7/1 under Jody McGarvey for Aaron Stronge while Darwins Theory was a further length back in third at 5/2 (backed from 4’s on-course) under Ger Fox for John Queally.
Paul Carberry said afterwards: "He jumped very stick early on. He was watching John's horse (Icelip) who was jumping slowly. Once I woke him up he was grand. And once he jumped the last he quickened up."
After the race Paul Carberry and Gordon Elliott (who is in Cheltenham this afternoon) were crowned the leading jockey and trainer at Downpatrick in 2014.
Carberry had eight winners while Elliott had fifteen.
The nearest challengers to Elliott were Eoin Doyle, Brian Hamilton, Mark McNiff and Colin Bowe who each recorded three wins.
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
