Mars Harper (second right)© Photo Healy Racing
On his second outing of the week, Mars Harper (11/2) landed the Guinness Beginners Steeplechase for Gordon Elliott and Sam Ewing. Sir Argus was up front most of the way and his jumping improved after being novicey early on but Mars Harper, runner-up to the impressive Sharjah over half-a-mile less on Tuesday, joined him over the final two fences and pulled away up the hill to score by a length-and-a-half.
A bumper and dual hurdles winner, the Sulamani gelding was getting off the mark at the tenth time of asking over fences.
Elliott, successful in yesterday's Galway Plate with Ash Tree Meadow, said: "This was probably the race I should have went for at the start of the week and while the other race looked like it was cutting up, Sharjah (winner) was still in it.
"He came out of Tuesday's race well, we fired him out in the field yesterday and he was bucking and squealing so we said we'd take our chance. He is a tough horse and ran to a good level over hurdles.
"There are a good few of Pioneer Racing down here for the festival and hopefully we might get another win with him."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
