Altiepix completes Cooper/Elliott double

Bryan Cooper and Gordon Elliott completed a double on the afternoon at Clonmel as Altiepix took a dramatic Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans 20th Birthday Handicap Chase.

Cooper, successful earlier on the card aboard the Elliott-trained 1/5 shot De Plotting Shed in the maiden hurdle, elected to set the pace in this 2m4f affair on the 11/4 favourite.

However he looked a spent force when headed approaching the second last by both Killeena House and Tipped Up Harry

It was soon all change though as the latter made a terrible blunder at the penultimate fence when apparently set to score and gave Robbie Power no chance of staying in the saddle.

Altiepix was soon back in front as Killeena House tired quickly on the testing ground, and it was a pretty unedifying sight as the latter literally climbed over the final fence and came to a virtual standstill.

The winner also survived an error at the last and kept on to beat King Blue by 20 lengths, with He Rock’s another three lengths back in third.

Cooper summed up the changing fortunes well when saying, "I only thought he'd be second and then didn't think he'd get over the last. It was slow motion!"

(TW & AM)