< Wise Old Owl preserved John Kiely's red-hot run of form in the feature race of the day at Clonmel.

The Co Waterford handler has enjoyed a vintage September, and posted another winner on the board when the JP McManus-owned six-year-old claimed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Captain Christy Novice Chase.

Mark Walsh travelled fluently entering the straight and seized upon Bronte Bay s penultimate-fence blunder to score by nine lengths and justify 2-1 favouritism.

Kiely said: "I've had a fortnight to remember.

"This fellow is after improving a lot and he was good there as the ground was a bit dead for him in Listowel last time.

"He'll get a holiday for the winter now."

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