3 minute read

Risk Belle justified favouritism in the €100,000 RYBO Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse but needed the assistance of the stewards to claim victory.

It was Sean Doyle's Monbeg Park who was first past the past, coming home half a length clear of the Willie Mullins-trained 7-2 market leader.

However, with half a furlong to run the two got close together and at one point Risk Belle was knocked off her stride.

Brian Lawless, on Monbeg Park, tried his hardest to keep his mount off Risk Belle, but he continued to lug right and the decision perhaps came as no surprise.

Risk Belle had jumped the last upsides in the Boodles at Cheltenham before being beaten a neck into third by Jazzy Matty, who finished down the field in this.

It capped a fine day for owner JP McManus, who was on hand to welcome back three winners, with Tony Martin's Gain De Cause (15-8) winning the Fred Kenny Lifetime Services To Racing Ladies National Handicap Chase and Canal End (9-4) the opening Tom Quinlan Electrical Maiden Hurdle.

Canal End was a victory on his return to action for Mark Walsh, who having also been on Risk Belle will have been pleased with a double on his first day out since Cheltenham.

"She got good experience in Cheltenham and you would have called her a winner jumping the last and just got run out of it up the hill. She had a lovely light weight today," said Walsh of Risk Belle

"She got a good run through the race and it all went to plan bar the interference after the last. Hopefully she can keep improving."

Frank Berry, McManus' racing manager, said: "She got a couple of bumps. It's never a nice way to win and also a horrible way to lose, but she ran a blinder.

"She got a bad fall in Leopardstown and was a bit unlucky in the Boodles so it's nice for her to get that. She jumped great today and if she comes out of this well there is every chance she will go on to Punchestown."

Mullins was also on the mark with Annamix (18-1) and Instit (15-2), with both beating better-fancied stablemates.