'We don't worry too much about numbers as long as we keep the quality up' - Tom Dreaper off the mark with Folly Master

It has not taken long for Tom Dreaper to hit the target after taking over the licence from his father Jim, as he became the third generation of of his family to train a winner from their legendary Greenogue base when Folly Master obliged in the opening beginners' chase.

It is almost 101 years to the day since Dreaper's legendary grandfather and namesake rode his first winner at Fingal point-to-point, and the family modus operandi has not changed very much with the trademark being the big, powerful staying chaser. Albeit at a lower level, Folly Master fits that bill. 

Making his chasing debut, he scored despite jumping with a bit of care, and the presence of a loose horse on the run-in was cleverly used by Keith Donoghue to stop him getting lonely. 

Dreaper said: "I've had the point-to-point licence for the past few years but it's great to get that out of the way. We have a handful to run on the track between now and the summer, but we will push on. 

"We have some great owners from years gone by before I was ever thought of, great traditional owners, and we have a lovely crop of horses every year. We don't worry too much about numbers, as long as we keep the quality up. That's the main thing."

He added: "Folly Master is improving hand over fist and is getting better for racing. I know it's low-grade stuff but these sorts of beginners' chases are a great initiative. It was better than running 30lb wrong at Leopardstown yesterday. He's what my father would want and what I would want. He's a staying chaser of the future."

Pana on the mark again for Winters

Mick Winters will hope a rising tide can lift all his boats after the suddenly progressive mare Pana To Milan followed up a victory in a 2m6f handicap chase here the previous month by bolting up in the 2m handicap hurdle under Liam McKenna. 

The daughter of Sageburg had given Winters his first winner of the season two weeks ago and he said: "She was never really finishing out her races but she's in good health now. She's come to herself and maybe it's a sign of things coming together at home. We train on a height now and have our own well water. Small things maybe.

"The first time I bumped into the owners [the Leave Him Alone syndicate] was when I won a charity race at Mallow for them on a horse called Homer for Gerry Cully about 40 or 50 years ago. I was like John Wayne – but I won it anyway!"

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