Padraig back on the right road

The Ballyhack Handicap Chase looked a wide open event beforehand and it produced a thrilling finish with Sraid Padraig just holding on to secure a first prize of €32,500.

Danny Mullins had the seven-year-old gelding up with the pace throughout but was under threat from a number of rivals in the straight. Perfect Smile appeared a big danger between the final two fences but it was left to Cause Of Causes to throw down the major threat on the run-in.

Sraid Padraig (14/1) just held on by the minimum margin of a nose at the line, with Perfect Smile another two lengths away in third.

Winning trainer Tony Martin said, “I’m delighted and a super man (Barry Connell) owns him. He’s a lovely big horse and we’ve always liked him. He ran a lovely race when he won (at Limerick) last year but he’s needed all the time he’s got since. Things just didn’t go the right way for him after he won.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson