Tough Chris scores for O'Connell & Neville

Chrisdonlady landed an on-course touch, as she battled gamely to win the first division of the Ladbrokes Handicap Chase under Eddie O’Connell for Pat Neville.

The nine-year-old daughter of Christophene was 12/1 this morning with Paddy Power but she opened on-course at just 9s before going off a 7/1 chance.

After winning two point-to-point’s in 2010/11, she then won a Hunters Chase at Listowel in June of 2011.

She had been ultimately disappointing on nine starts since that win, and she attempted to make all this evening. Pat Garrett (3/1fav), who finished second here yesterday, took over in front after the third last (usually four out but the third last was omitted) and he travelled best entering the straight.

He was beginning to be niggled along approaching the second last, where he crashed out (got up after the fall), leaving Chrisdonlady in the lead.

She kept on well from there and despite being strongly pressed on the run-in, she held off all challengers to score by a head. Oscar Leney (10/1) was the one who was chasing her down, but he had to settle for second under Andrew Lynch for Jim Dreaper, while Mount Sion was a length and a quarter back in third under Niall Madden for Enda Bolger at 13/2.

Pat Neville said afterwards: "She is really tough and she was unlucky up in the North when she fell.

"Moira McElligott rode her that day and she broke her collarbone from the fall. She usually rides her and she is one of members of the winning syndicate (the Blue Diamond Syndicate).

"She was due a win by the way she was running on soft ground. This is really her ground. She’ll go to Galway now if she gets into one of the races."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes