730/1 Down Royal treble for Condon

Davy Condon brought up his 730/1 Down Royal treble this evening on Blue Cannon who denied gambled-on Plan A by a head.

Blue Cannon travelled smoothly into contention for Condon just off the pace as Plan A led over the second last. A slick jump at the last gave Plan A every chance of landing the spoils, but Condon and Blue Cannon flew home from there to win at 14/1.

Plan A, for Gordon Elliott and Mark Walsh, had been 9/2 this morning and 7/2 in the ring before being returned at 5/2 second choice.

Noel Meade trained the winner and he said: “He’s a quirky little horse. He jumps brilliantly and Davy says he loves the jumping.

“He likes this place. He’s won three times here and he loves that fast ground too.” Nearest The Pin the 2/1 favourite, had every chance at the business end, but had to settle for third place, a length and three parts behind the battle for first.

In September last year Blue Cannon won the Ulster Cesarewitch at Down Royal and in November 2011 he also won a maiden hurdle there.

Noel Meade has a 21 per cent strike-rate at Down Royal which increases to 55 per cent in bumpers at the northern track.

Condon's previous two winners on the card were on Que Pasa (11/2) and Shadow Catcher (13/2).

Additional reporting by Gary Carson