Rising Time jumps the last ahead of Chiltern Hills (blue) and the grey Tropical Three© Photo Healy Racing
Paul Nolan recorded his first winner in almost three months as his Rising Time bounced back to her best to land the ITBA Fillies Scheme Novice Hurdle under Mikey Doran.
Doran himself was recording his first winner since April 15th when he also partnered Rising Time to win her maiden hurdle at Tramore.
The 2/1 favourite Chiltern Hills hit the front four out under Ruby Walsh for Willie Mullins but she couldn’t hold off the challenge of the winner who hit the front before the last.
She kept on well from there to hold off the challenge of Tropical Three by three parts of a length.
Tropical Three ran a nice race on her racecourse debut to finish second at 4/1 under Barry Geraghty for Michael Hourigan while Chiltern Hills had to settle for third a further length and a half back.
Winning trainer Paul Nolan said afterwards: "I'm delighted for Jim (winning owner/breeder Jim & Mary Halligan). She stayed on well and it was probably a moderate contest.
"I thought she wouldn’t handle the ground and I’ve just gave my license over to the local publican as it shows you how much I know!
"I thought she was beaten turning in but she kept at it well and seemed to handle the ground better than the rest of them.
"It is great to win a nice pot like that. We don’t have the same numbers in yard and that is a boost now.
"She will probably go back over fences and we will try and win a mares beginners chase with her and she will probably go breeding next year."
(On-course reporting by Alan Magee)
