Miley Shah leads Juan De Gracia and Butney Rock over a fence© Photo Healy Racing
On racecourse outing number twenty one Miley Shah sported a noseband for the first time and it certainly did him no harm as he returned to form to land the Hospitality At Naas Racecourse Beginners Chase.
Mikey Fogarty, fresh from an Ayr victory yesterday on Romantic Fashion, soon had Miley Shah in front. He wasn't overly convincing at the fourth fence but from a fair way out it was looking good for backers of the 11/4 shot.
Favourite Back To Balloo seemed to do too much too soon through the race and from before the last he couldn't go with Miley Shah. Seventeen lengths separated them at the line. Ballynacree pecked on landing at the first and he wasn't great at the fourth last either. He was a moderate third into the straight but he eventually faded to come home in seventh.
Winning trainer John Kenny said: "He was very sick since Christmas and it took a while for him to come right.
"He did his first bit of real good work last Thursday and we'll probably look for a winners of one and step him up slowly.
"Hopefully the handicapper won't be too hard on him and we can have a shot at a nice handicap at some stage.
"He got his own way in front there which helped and he's a soft ground horse.
"Ideally he'd have preferred another week but with the good weather forecast we decided we couldn't wait any longer."
The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined Ballynacree, trained by C.Roche, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be blowing hard post race.
(AM & EM)
