Flood/Hughes double up with Charmer

Paddy Flood and Dessie Hughes teamed up for a quick double as Western Charmer made virtually all to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

The 9/2 chance jumped well at the head of affairs but looked in trouble as Uncle Junior threw down a strong challenge in the straight.

However another fine leap at the last gave the advantage back to Western Charmer, and the eight-year-old stayed on well on the run-in to beat the odds-on favourite by a length and a quarter.

“He bled the last day after just a few fences but that was the first time it happened to him. We train him now out of a field and it seems to help his lungs. He looked like being very good in his bumper days, and the plan is to step him up in trip and go for the Grade 1 three mile novice at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting,” said Hughes.