James is full of Grace as Benno defies odds in feature handicap

Toomevara permit holder James Grace has had many good horses run in his colours over the years. Not all of them were trained by him, such as Champion Bumper winner Mick The Man, so the owner-trainer-breeder got a special kick out of doing the hard work himself in preparing the 12-year-old De Benno to land the feature Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase.

It has not been all plain sailing for the horse Grace described as having had many problems, but to produce the son of Beneficial to win such a competitive handicap chase a few days short of becoming a teenager was a feat of some note.

It also advertised the talents of rider Cathal Landers, the biggest win of his career too, as he gave the winner the most astute of front-running rides, finding plenty from the second last to account for Sumos Novios by five lengths.