Eight Till Late gets up the hat-trick Eight Till Late completed a hat-trick of wins, as he took the feature at Sligo this evening, the BoyleSports Handicap Chase. Having got off the mark over fences at Clonmel in June, the chestnut son of Desert King was again successful over flights on his most recent start at Sligo. After opened at 6/4 on-course this evening, the Peter Casey trained nine-year-old proved easy to back, and eventually went off the 9/4 market leader under Andrew Ring. Settled behind the leaders he was third with a circuit to race, sweeping through to lead after two out. He was soon pressed on the outer by Presenting Mahler, and needed to be ridden out in the closing stages to see off that rival by half a length. The runner-up was returned at 5/1 (from 6s) under Danny Mullins for John Ryan, while Eiri Na Casca was five lengths back in third. Ring said afterwards: "He has been a grand auld horse between hurdles and fences. He doesn't jump fences as well as hurdles. He tends to hurdle his fences a small bit. "He is improving and had his ground today. He actually won better than the margin because he idled a small bit in front. He is going the right way and he is a pleasure to ride. "He was going to go to Galway but bypassed it and thankfully he came here and won. I think there might be another handicap in him in both codes. "He could go to Listowel for a Flat maiden, he has enough gears for that as well." STEWARDS REPORTS * D.N. Russell, rider of Bendanella trained by Ross O'Sullivan, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was pulled up having lost his action. * The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined Bendanella, trained by Ross O'Sullivan, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal. Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
