'We were quietly confident' - Typical Thomas makes light of opening chase mark to give James Fahey a memorable success

Typical Thomas made light work of his opening handicap mark as he put in a brave front-running display in the Listed Co-Op Superstores Handicap Chase, providing Laois trainer James Fahey with his biggest winner yet.

The six-year-old was partnered by Mark McDonagh and was locked in combat with the David O'Brien-trained Minx Tiara for much of the contest. 

The field was strung out from an early stage and many in behind struggled to make any inroads on the pacesetters.

Fahey's charge wrestled the lead off Minx Tiara as they approached the third-last and had plenty left in the tank, as he is illustrated by an agile leap at the penultimate fence. He was again spring-heeled at the last and scampered home four and a half lengths clear of the staying-on The Dara Man.

"Mark said there was going to be plenty of pace and I said to bounce out with them," said Fahey. "He has a tendency to jump slightly left so Mark's plan was to get over to the stands' side. We said we'd make plenty of use of him.

"We were hoping he'd run well, but would have been delighted had he finished in the first four beforehand. With the ground drying out and off the light weight, we were quietly confident."

Fahey's Stradbally stable is going from strength to strength and this was their second winner of the week and sixth of the season.

"Without a doubt, this is the biggest winner of my career," added Fahey. "This season has gone unbelievably well and it's very nice to get a big one like this. The big ones will hopefully give us a boost and put us in the shop window."

Heather completes three-timer

Desert Heather made it three on the bounce as she justified 15-8 favouritism in the 3m novice hurdle for trainer Declan Queally, with amateur Ray Barron doing the steering.

Desert Heather (right) battles it out with Solitary Man before narrowly getting the verdict in the 3m novice hurdle

The progressive seven-year-old was returning after a five-month layoff after landing a pair of handicaps at Kilbeggan earlier this year, and she was the subject of a confident ride from Barron for whom she travelled powerfully, although Solitary Man proved resolute out in front and only a neck separated them at the line.

Queally said: "She's been back in the yard for only six weeks so it was a fair trial for her. She's a lively mare who is able to gallop and she was right at the weights. 

"There's a three-mile Grade 3 novice hurdle here in three weeks' time, so that will be the plan."

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