Trova avoids carnage to win again

Cerca Trova followed up on her recent win at Fairyhouse as she avoided the carnage at the second last to take the Minorstown Handicap Hurdle, under Jonathan Moore for Jim Dreaper.

Sent off the 4/1 favourite the ten-year-old daughter of Brian Boru was settled in mid-division and went fifth after the third last.

She was ridden early in the straight and looked in trouble until the leader Fade In crashed out at the second last, while Annie Alainn made a very bad mistake and was hampered.

The well-backed Theo was also hampered in the melee and Cerca Trova suddenly found herself in front.

She was ridden from there and kept on well after the last, holding off the renewed challenge of the unlucky Annie Alainn (12/1 for David and Tom Mullins). Visible Light (6/1) was two and three parts of a length back in third under Mark Walsh for Fran Flood while Accordion Twilight (14/1) was the same distance back in fourth under Roger Loughran for Bill Lanigan.

Theo, who was backed from 20's this morning and was returned at 6's, faded after the second last and finished eighth.

Jim Dreaper said afterwards: "She didn't travel as well today but the ground was more tacky. We were lucky but over the course of a year some go with you and some go the other way.

"She could run next in a chase possibly at Downpatrick. She is owned and bred by Lar Skelly and his wife Kitty who are from the The Ward, which is between Finglas and Ashbourne."

Dreaper went on to talk about stable star Goonyella saying: “He is being aimed at the Grand National. That is the race the owners want to go for, and he could run next in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee