David Casey teamed up with Embracing Change to justify favouritism at Clonmel last Thursday, and the combination repeated the trick seven days later again over three miles in the Thurles Handicap Chase.

The Robert Tyner-trained gelding was never far off the pace, and led away from the third last fence.

Previous pace-setter On The Shannon took a tired fall at the second last, and Casey’s mount stayed on strongly to readily justify 5/2 favouritism.

He was eased down in the closing stages to account for Federici by two and a half lengths, with Abarta another six lengths back in third.

Just six of the 12 runners completed, and the going was changed to soft (from yielding) after this race with persistent rain continuing.

Tyner said, "He travelled and jumped well. He had seemed to have come out his Clonmel race well but just about got away with it.

"He could run next over 3m5f at Fairyhouse (Porterstown Handicap Chase) in three weeks."

(TW & AM)