Little Big Rocky delivers knockout blow

Slane trainer Pat Downey followed up his recent winner at Bellewstown when Little Big Rocky (10s into 15/2 before the off) landed a few bets in the Dawn Milk Hi Lo Handicap Hurdle.

The handicap debutant, runner-up in a Fairyhouse bumper last year, was as big as 33/1 last night and some 16/1 was availed of around lunchtime.

He was always in the front rank under Conor McNamara and went on after the second-last flight to beat Our Bobby by a comfortable two and a quarter lengths.

The Califet gelding was led up by Paddy O'Brien, who rode Downey's Penny Jar to win on 'The Hill' earlier in the month.

Downey said: "This is a fair horse and we were very hopeful coming. The only thing we were worried about was the Adare traffic!"

He added: "He finished second to O'Toole in a bumper and I ran him two weeks later but that was the trainer's fault as he wasn't right.

"We have been taking him out of races because of ground and he will turn into a nice chaser, that's what we're hoping. I told Conor McNamara to ride him as he finds him and he did and he jumped brilliantly.

"We walked the whole course and were still debating about running him as he is 17 hands, and is huge. I'll look forward to jumping fences with him."

Quotes from Tom Weekes