Cliff House and Cathal Landers© Photo Healy Racing
Owner T J Ward had two in the TRM Kurasyn 360x Handicap Hurdle. Money came for his eventual sixth placer, Western Sea (10s into 6s) but also for the Laois owner Cliff House wasn't completely ignored in the betting and he prevailed under Cathal Landers at Leopardstown.
Cliff House (16/1 - 20/1 - 16/1) made all, asserting from before the last to account for Tara Dylan by three and three parts of a length.
Top-weight The King Of Brega finished a head back in third whilst favourite Ming Dynasty was keen, and ended up beating just two home.
Dot Love has care of Cliff House for Ward and her assistant trainer Ciaran Murphy said: “We said today we’d jump him out and let him enjoy it. We’ve had plenty of problems with this lad. It’s his first run back and we think we’ve sorted these bits and pieces — it’s a nice surprise.
“The plan was always to go over fences over the summer, and we said we’d give him a chance to win a hurdle before that. He might win another one now on his way to fences.
“There is a nice race on the Flat in him too, a two-mile Flat race.
“It would be lovely to go to Fairyhouse at Easter with him and then on to Punchestown.”
(AM & EM)
