Not Before Eight leaves it very late!

Not Before Eight under Barry O’Neill, came from a seemingly impossible position just yards from the line at Downpatrick to poke his head in front for a last-gasp win in the concluding Downpatrick Chirstmas Party Maiden Hunter Chase at Downpatrick today.

Leader Tammys Hill was several lengths clear with 50 yards to race but tied up in the closing stages allowing Not Before Eight (matched at 999/1 in-running) to steal the race at the line.

Afterwards winning trainer David Christie revealed “that’s the way he has to be ridden! He has loads of ability but he has to hit the front as late as possible. Barry (O’Neill) still had a pile of horse under him at the second last.

“He has been in such good form lately that my biggest worry was that he would unseat Barry on the way to the start! We’ll mix it between Open point to points and hunter chases now and maybe look for a winners’ hunters chase at a good staying track.”

“It might have been a bit sharp for him here but the testing ground and the uphill finish worked in his favour.”