Codd level again as Solution scores

Jamie Codd drew level with Patrick Mullins once again in the race to be crowned Champion Amateur, as Sizing Solution took the Jack Tyner Memorial Hunters Chase.

Pulled up at Aintree on his last start, the three time point-to-point victor came in for plenty of market support today.

The Jim Dreaper trained nine-year-old was available at 7/2 last night, but went off the 11/8 favourite.

Towards rear for much of the contest, the nine-year-old son of King's Theatre took closer order approaching three out and hit the front before the next.

He was pushed along away from that fence and kept on well on the run-in, going on to score by two and a quarter lengths. Sandycove Island ran a cracker to finish second under Eoin O'Brien for Ruaidhri Tierney at 33/1, while early morning favourite Darwins Fox was a disappointing fourth.

Jim Dreaper said afterwards: "He was very free in the Foxhunters at Aintree and just ran himself into the ground.

"Two and a half miles is his maximum trip and Jamie got him to 'spit it out' - that's this great expression I understand to mean 'relax'.

"Jamie did the brave thing at the last and the horse in fairness answered him.

"I don't think there's another hunters' chase at that distance for him now and he might go back handicap chasing now or else could be sold. Like us all, Mr Potts (owner) wants good horses and he's a nice horse but won't be any better.

"We're five miles from Fairyhouse but going there would be way too simple so I was sent here, Thomas (son) went to Antrim (Loughanmore point to point) and we had a point to point winner at Stradbally."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes