Popaflora canters past Playing who fell at the second last© Photo Healy Racing
The fences are there to be jumped. That old adage was never more relevant than in the two and a half mile handicap chase at Tipperary where carnage ruled and Popaflora was the lucky recipient at 20/1.
In theory Wrong Turn was massively well in under a mandatory 6lb penalty as he was due to go up 17lbs after winning in Killarney on Sunday.
However, the 4/9 favourite partnered by Ruby Walsh, crashed out of contention six fences from home.
At this stage Playing was in front and he increased his lead until he capsized at the second last when clear and trading at 1.04 on the exchanges.
This left the outsider Popaflora and Andrew Ring to jump the last two and take the first prize by seven lengths from Mirador Del Conde (14/1). Only two horses completed the course.
Philip Rothwell trains Popaflora and he said: “I took the shoes off him on Monday and took him out of training as I didn’t think he would get his winter ground.
“He couldn’t lay up on the yielding ground at Killarney. He’s going out to a field tomorrow. It’s nice to get a winner and they all count. You need a bit of luck.”
Popaflora won from 5lbs out of the handicap. He had been pulled up behind Wrong Turn at Killarney.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
