Nothing worth seeing in Bumper finale

Tom Hogan should know a 'machine' when he sees one and Gordon Lord Byron's trainer used that word to describe his Neck Or Nothing (16/1) which ran out an impressive winner, on debut, in the concluding equuslive.com Bumper at Punchestown today.

Ridden by capable seven pounds claiming amateur Johnny Burke, son of trainer Liam Burke, the winner went clear inside the final furlong for a three lengths win over Flaming Dawn

Afterwards an impressed Hogan stated “he's a machine – he could go round again and has some engine; I've never had a young horse like him.

“He was fit in the spring but had a problem with a splint so we had to be patient with him and wait. He could be anything though and he had nothing done, was green and only three-quarters ready.

“The plan was to give him a nice run and I told Johnny not to knock him around.”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson