Dearg 'Leaps' to hat-trick

Course and distance winner Leap Dearg continues to defy the handicapper, and despite being a little uneasy in the betting on track, Robert Tyner's charge came out on top under Philip Enright, to make it three in a row, in the Panoramic Restaurant At Naas Handicap Chase.

A mistake at the last by the 5/2 shot, threatened to derail his bid for glory. However the Beneficial gelding shrugged off that, and his top-weight impost, to get the better of front-runner, Smokey Joe Joe (mistake himself at the last too), by two lengths.

"He didn't jump as well today. He missed one at halfway and was close to a couple of them. He was very lucky he didn't unseat at the last. He did very well to come back and win after that," said Tyner.

"He's going up in class and going a little bit faster. He's a big horse and experience might have caught him.

"We were disappointed with his jumping but it could be worse - he could jump well and get beaten half the track!" (GC & EM)