O'Donovan off the mark on well-backed winner

Chris O'Donovan recorded his first racecourse success as he guided the well-backed Mick Winters trained Theatre Princess to an easy win in the Glenview & Rathbarry Studs Mares Maiden Hunters Chase.

O'Donovan, who is 20 and from Shanballymore, Co Cork, has ridden eight point-to-point winners this season and he rides out for Winters and Adrian Maguire. His grandfather was the trainer Jack O'Keeffe.

Available at 9/2 last night the nine-year-old daughter of King's Theatre went off the 2/1 favourite in first time cheekpieces.

Settled behind the leaders she was fifth with a circuit to race. She improved into a closer third after five out and came with her challenge three out.

She cruised to the front before the second last and came home in her own time, registering a twenty length success. Ducloyne Lady finished second under Pa King for Harry Kelly at 20/1 while Silver Serenade (14/1) was thirty-seven lengths back in third under Declan Queally for his father Declan. Gabrielleamee was a further fifty lengths back in fourth and she was the only other finisher.

Mick Winters, who was also on the mark yesterday with Another Rebel, said afterwards: "We're lucky to have horses like her and I'm delighted for Chris as it's his first winner on the track.

"He's leading the novice riders' point-to-point championship at the moment and if we have to, we'll keep this mare for one or two Opens at Kinsale at the end of the season for him to ride.

"We'll go to Kinsale and we'll beat the northern boys this year! It's my uncle's 90th birthday and we'll celebrate that too - he's the same age - born on the same day, as the Queen (April 21st, 1926)!"

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes