Sterling Stuff pecks badly after the last & unseats, as Bothar Clei & Pairc Na Leasa go on to battle out the finish© Photo Healy Racing
Four time point-to-point winner Bothar Clei recorded his first victory on the racecourse proper, as he took the Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle under Eoin O’Brien (second track winner) for trainer Daniel 'Donie' Murphy.
The victorious nine-year-old son of Snurge won three point-to-points in-a-row during the 2012-13 season, with his last success coming at Kilfeacle in January.
He returned to action just last month, running three times, with his best effort coming on his last start at Limerick where he finished third to Day Dream Boy.
Sent off a 6/1 chance this afternoon, he tracked the leaders throughout and moved into third before the fourth last flight.
He hit the front before three out, and while he was joined by Pairc Na Leasa (7/1), for Shane Crimin and David Finn, at the second last, he battled gamely on the run-in to see off that rival by half a length. Milestone Miss finished thirteen lengths back in third under Martin Burke for Tim Doyle at 9/1, while Get In Pat completed the placings a further eleven lengths back in fourth under Brian O’Connell for Philip Rothwell at 25/1.
The Robert Tyner trained Sterling Stuff was sent off the well-backed 7/4 favourite (opened at 2/1 on-course), and he appeared to be staying on best before the last, but he pecked on landing after that flight and unshipped Philip Enright.
Daniel ‘Donie’ Murphy, who was recording his first racecourse winner since August 2012, said afterwards: "It took him a bit of time to get him back right but he won four point-to-points so you would expect him to win an 80-102.
"We had to run him quick enough after Limerick because there was nothing else for him, and he will probably go chasing now straight away."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
