Boy completes double for McParlan

Carsonstown Boy rounded off a memorable afternoon for Noel McParlan as the amateur rider completed a 26.5/1 double on the card in the Arctic Tack Sud Hunters Chase.

McParlan earlier performed heroics on Mount Colah who recovered from a bad blunder at the last to take the beginners chase, and he also had this ten-year-old gelding up with the pace throughout.

The 5/6 favourite Oscar Delta looked the one to beat when taking it up before two out but that effort was short-lived as Colin McBratney’s charge was soon back in front.

The 10/1 chance kept on well on the run-in to beat Boxer George by two lengths, with Oscar Delta weakening another two and a quarter lengths adrift in third.

McBratney said, “He didn’t run a great race the last day in Down Royal. He was running against class horses and wasn’t able to dictate and he got disappointed.

“He’s a great fun horse and we might go back to the round bales (point-to-point) with him. I’ve no intention of going to Cheltenham with him but he may go for the Joseph O’Reilly at Fairyhouse as he was second in it last year.”

Oscar Delta’s trainer Jimmy Mangan said “I was delighted with the run. It was very encouraging. He would have needed it and will have one more point-to-point run before Cheltenham.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes