Smitty Bacall pops up at 20/1 for Shay Barry

Smitty Bacall sprang a 20/1 surprise in the Junction Handicap Hurdle to gain his first win since 2018.

Danny Mullins sent the 10-year-old up to be prominent from the fourth flight of hurdles and in the closing stages he stayed on resolutely to hold the 5/4 favourite Blackstairs Rocco by two lengths with a yawning gap back to the rest.

It was a fourth career success for the Marienbard gelding who’s had a couple of lengthy absences from the racecourse in recent years but shaped with promise when third over fences at Tramore last month.

Winning trainer Shay Barry commented:"In fairness to the handicapper, he dropped him down to a fair mark because he was off for a long time and I'm delighted.

"It was Danny's own idea to go on the outside. I was hoping they'd go plenty quick and told him to follow the pace, he stays well, but Danny said they slowed it up and he got it spot on as it took the sting out of the rest of them.

"There are two races, a hurdle and chase, for him at Killarney and he's a lovely horse to have."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes