16 and a half to one brace for Russell

"He deserved a bit of luck and we're delighted. He ran well at Cheltenham the last day (3rd on Saturday) but this makes up for it (his unlucky summer)," said Charles Byrnes after Davy Russell doubled his Clonmel score on Sea Light (5/2 favourite) in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle.

Russell, a winner in the previous race on Gordon Elliott's Veinard here got the Come Home Sober Syndicate-owned Sea Light home by two lengths from Blackthorn Prince Gusty Rocky kept on into third close home, three and a half lengths back.

"We might run him in one of the qualifiers for the Pertemps Hurdle (at Cheltenham) and see what'll happen," added Byrnes. 

"He's only 15.1hh - only a pony, and I don't think he'll ever jump a fence."

The Stewards received a report from the Clerk of the Scales, P.L. Malone, that B.R. Dalton, rider of Little Haarth had weighed in at 1.6lbs overweight.

Evidence was heard from the rider concerned who stated that he was using a light saddle but had a half a cup of tea after weighing out.

Having considered the evidence, the Stewards were satisfied that B.R. Dalton was in breach of Rule 231 and therefore suspended him for 1 raceday having taken his clean previous record into consideration.

(TW & EM)