Demotions, beaten favourites and a 999-1 in-running winner on eventful afternoon

On what was a dramatic opening day of the three-day Easter festival, we had a winner who hit 999-1 in running and a winner demoted from the feature hurdle. We also had beaten favourites at 4-11 and 4-9 in back-to-back races. It was that sort of day. 

The Doyles were celebrating after Monbeg Park pulled out more close home under 7lb claimer Brian Lawless to land the richest prize of the afternoon, the €100,000 Rybo Handicap Hurdle, but their party was shortlived as the klaxon went for a stewards' inquiry and the head-on didn't look good. 

Monbeg Park had cannoned into Risk Belle on a few occasions after the last and, although the winning distance was half a length, the interference was so severe that the stewards were left with little option but to reverse the result. 

It was hard luck on trainer Sean Doyle and Lawless, but it was the correct call. Risk Belle's rider Mark Walsh, who was returning from a few weeks on the sidelines following his dramatic departure from Corbetts Cross in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, felt it was a straightforward decision for the stewards. 

Walsh said: "I think she definitely deserved to get it. She got three or four hard bumps after the last and the horse on my outside was impeding me the whole way. I think I definitely would have won with a clear run."

Annamix defies 999-1 in running

It was Annamix who hit the maximum price of 999-1 on the exchanges in the 3m1f hunter chase. 

The big grey was ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle once upon a time, but his career has taken a turn for the worse of late. 

Charlie Mullins, a nephew of champion trainer Willie, looked like he might pull up at one stage as Annamix made error after error, but he managed to get a late tune out of the 18-1 shot and came home best of all to beat Billaway four and a half lengths. 

Ferns Lock, the 4-11 favourite, stopped quickly after the second-last, surrendering his unbeaten record. 

The winning jockey said: "I knew they had gone pretty quick and I said I’d sit back. I felt he had a chance turning into the straight, and when he passed one or two he took a hold with me again. I let him fly at the last and he kept picking up for me. He made a few bad mistakes – he can take off from anywhere!"

Fahey at the double

It was certainly a Saturday to savour for Peter Fahey, who bookended the card with a 38-1 double. 

The Canal End was an emphatic winner of the opening maiden hurdle, but it was the performance of Tiger Bay Queen in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Total Enjoyment Mares Bumper that would have got the trainer most excited. 

The 11-1 shot turned the race into a rout with a burst of speed a furlong from home. She went on to win by seven lengths under Jamie Codd, and Fahey thinks she could be anything. 

He said: "I was disappointed she didn't win her bumper. We gave her time off and we brought her back in a schooling hurdle at Tipperary last October. She genuinely won it by a hurdle. She's very, very good. I think she's a top-class filly and she's a brilliant jumper too."

Vassy beaten again

Allegorie De Vassy was supposed to be the star of the show on the card, but she found stablemate Instit too strong in the closing stages of the BoyleSports Mares Novice Chase. 

Winning jockey Danny Mullins said of his mount: “She hadn't fulfilled her potential over fences after what I'd seen from her over hurdles.

"I was conscious not to set it up for Paul [Townend] and save my own petrol in parts. The race mapped out perfectly for him but my mare still managed to come out on top.”

Elvin ticks off bucket list

Phidelma Elvin earned the bragging rights in the female changing room as she steered Gain De Cause to victory in the Ladies National for Tony Martin. 

Elvin said: "I’d ridden winners in point-to-points and over hurdles and a bumper, but I didn’t have a chase winner to my name. Last year I made a bucket list and to ride a chase winner and a winner for Mr McManus were on it. Today it all came true for me."

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