Wayne Hassett crowned champion apprentice following hard-fought contest on final day

Wayne Hassett was crowned champion apprentice with victory in the mile maiden as the season came to a thrilling close.

The title race went right down to the wire and with just two wins separating the top three riders, who were all in action, spectators looked forward to a ding-dong battle.

However, Hassett delivered a decisive blow in the opening race, extending his lead to two when winning on 9-4 favourite James J Braddock, while his closest pursuers Robert Whearty and Jack Cleary drew a blank.

Speaking following the victory of the Joseph O’Brien-trained juvenile, Hassett said: “It’s a big day. I was very confident going out on him, and he dominated that.”

Group breakthrough for O’Sullivan

Ross O’Sullivan was already dreaming about next season after Chally Chute gave him his first Group-race success on the Flat when winning the Comer Group International Loughbrown Stakes at odds of 11-8.

Triple-figure odds when winning a Roscommon Listed race, the seven-year-old proved that was no fluke when an unlucky second in the Irish Cesarewitch at 66-1. In this Group 3 event he was a warm order and travelled comfortably throughout to win by more than three and a half lengths under Donagh O’Connor, who was also winning his first Group race.

“We're thrilled,” O’Sullivan said. “The owners, Julie and Dominic [White] bred him and his mother died when he was a young horse, so they had to nearly hand-rear him. 

“He's going to be some horse for next year. These horses are impossible to come across for a small yard like ours. He could go for those good Cup races. He could travel, possibly between England and France. A big plan needs to be thought about, maybe over a few drinks.”

The trainer and rider combined again to win the final race with Switch From Diesel. Last seen finishing second behind Bambino Fever in a Punchestown festival Grade 1 bumper, the six-year-old prevailed by a nose in the 1m4f maiden at 9-2 to set her up nicely for a forthcoming hurdling campaign.

Bittersweet success for Titanium owners

Titanium recorded an emotional victory for Ciaran Murphy in the mile premier handicap. 

The six-year-old’s owners came directly from the wake of their friend and co-owner, Liam Gavin, to watch their representative forge clear in the final stages and win at a starting price of 12-1.

Murphy said: “As long as I'm training, I don’t think I'll ever have a day like this, in terms of what it means to us. Liam Gavin was a fabulous friend to me. We said we would go ahead and run the horse and he's done that. The owners are all pals. It's very emotional and it's just sad that Liam isn't here."

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'Aren't we so lucky to have him?' - Envoi Allen rolls back the years with historic third win in Champion Chase at Down Royal 

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