Another for JP as Fever returns to form

JP McManus recorded his second winner of the evening at Kilbeggan (won earlier with King Leon as Fever Pitch took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase, scoring under Mark Walsh for trainer Arthur Moore.

This eight-year-old son of Dushyantor last tasted success way back in December of 2012 when winning at Clonmel.

He disappointed on a number of occasions last year before hinting at a return to form when finishing fourth at Tramore on his penultimate start.

He again disappointed on his last outing at Punchestown earlier this month and was sent off an easy back 12/1 chance this evening (6/1 this morning and from 10/1 on-course).

Settled in mid-division he improved into third after the second last and he came to challenge the leader Ballysteen at the final fence.

A bad mistake by Ballysteen handed the initiative to Fever Pitch and he kept on well on the run-in to score easily by nine lengths at the line.

The aforementioned Mouse Morris trained gelding kept on to take second at 7/1 under Kevin Sexton while the 13/8 favourite Zardsky was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Barry Geraghty for TJ Nagle.

Arthur Moore said afterwards: "I'm pleased he is back in form. He disappointed in Punchestown.

"He liked the ground and he jumped well. He will probably go to Killarney now.

"We always thought he was a good ground horse but he won on heavy ground at Clonmel and he was touched off in a valuable race at Navan so he is ground independent."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson