Discordantly puts best foot forward to land feature for Harrington

Discordantly, rather aptly owned by the Oddfellows Partnership, put it all together to bag the feature €45,000 handicap chase for Robbie Power and Jessica Harrington, for whom this was a welcome first winner since January.

A bit of an odd fellow himself, Discordantly has never been short of ability but has fallen four times over fences. But here he reminded people that, when Discordantly is good, he is more than capable.

The eight-year-old, who is entered in both the Kim Muir and the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, took a while to get over his spill in the Welsh Grand National, according to Harrington's daughter and assistant trainer Kate, who believes the cheekpieces played a crucial role.

She said: "The cheekpieces did the job. He engaged his brain today and jumped absolutely brilliantly. We might just have been getting it wrong with him. We thought he was a stayer and I think two miles and five furlongs could be his maximum.

"He loved a bit of nicer ground as well and we might just stay at this sort of trip and see what options there are for him.”

Harrington added: “He was actually very sore after the fall at Chepstow and we missed about three or four weeks with him as he hurt his shoulder. The last day he took a blow and we had him fit enough there today.”

Sweet success for Whiskey Sour

Penalty kicks still need to be slotted away and Paul Townend grasped what looked a golden opportunity for Whiskey Sour in the conditions hurdle, which remembered the late four-time All-Ireland-winning Dublin footballer and racegoer Anton O'Toole.

Willie Mullins' nine-year-old was sent off 4-7 and, despite coming under pressure approaching the last, pulled out plenty to win by 15 lengths.

Townend said: “He enjoyed himself – the race suited and the ground suited. It was a bit of a worry turning into the straight but the further up the straight we came, the better he was going. He showed that at Naas the last day and was very well treated.

“He's handy, he has a very good jump in him and he's very clever, so I'm sure he could jump a fence, but whether or not they want to go that route, I'm not sure. He's a good horse on the Flat too.

“Those decisions will be up to Luke [McMahon, owner] and they'll have plenty of fun with him. It's surprising how little he's won for a horse who has been so consistent.”

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