Clifford and Slevin on the mark with Garden

We had a New Ross winner earlier on the card with Foritsa and a smaller yard from the same locality also got their name up in lights at the pre-Christmas Thurles fixture as John Clifford saddled Chapel Garden to win the Curaheen (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

This two miler was marred by the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Tile Lady breaking a leg with a circuit to go.

Up the straight it was the Tony Mullins handled Fearachain that was shaping all over a winner but the J J Slevin partnered Chapel Garden, a first-time out son of Heron Island, found most to triumph by a length and a quarter. They left Lilshane eighteen lengths back in third.

Clifford remarked: "I was expecting him to run well and he's for sale now. He jumps well and he'll be a nice hurdle horse."

For J J Slevin, son of trainer Shay and brother of rider Mark, this was first success under Rules. The 21-year-old Enniscorthy man has 30 point-to-point wins to his name. (TW & EM)