Maher takes on cross country king and wins

We had a brilliant duel from some way out for the opener on day five of the Punchestown Festival, the CME Auctioneers Cross Country Chase. In the end the Mrs Breda Beattie-owned and Peter Maher-trained Mtada Supreme over-turned 2/5 chance Quantitativeeasing by a length and three parts.

The distress signals where there from four out with Quantitativeeasing, and from before the last where he pecked, the Mark Walsh-ridden 'hot-pot' just wasn't quite matching the Benny Walsh-partnered Mtada Supreme. They left Be Positive all of twenty seven lengths back in third.

Walsh a stalwart of the point-to-point scene in his native Wexford and the eastern region in general, said: "I really have to thank Peter Maher and the owners for putting me up on him.

"Peter has been unlucky all week but he's got one up now anyway. I knew this lad would gallop away and that he was fit after winning on his last run.

"He jumps banks like hell. I won on Big Shu here before - he was in a different class altogether."

Meanwhile Maher stated: "That's my Gold Cup, and I threw the kitchen sink at it today with three runners. He (Mtada Supreme) was great and always pulls out a bit more.

"Quantitativeeasing is a class animal but I'd say the La Touche probably took its toll.

"I love cross country racing, and somebody has to take on Enda Bolger."

(AM & EM)