Aranhill Chief, third left, on his way to victory in the Connacht National© Photo Healy Racing
Aranhill Chief fended off Abolitionist to take the glory in thetote.com Connacht National Handicap Chase over an extended three miles at Roscommon.
Stephen Mahon 's eight-year-old gelding raced second to Bishops Road with Abolitionist a close third as the race unfolded on the run to the third last.
Aranhill Chief fiddled that fence but still jumped it better than Bishops Road and found himself in the lead.
After a good jump at the second
Luke Dempsey whip was raised as he asked Aranhill Chief for more. Abolitionist was all the while trying to hunt him down in second.
After the last fence it was neck and neck between the pair with Abolitionist hard ridden by Brian Hayes to go on and win the race.
It was Aranhill Chief though who kept on best close home to win by a length at 16/1 from the 10/3 favourite who was gambled on from 5/1. Prince Rudi who made a mistake at the second last, was two and a half lengths away in third at 10/1.
Luke Dempsey said: "He's tough and he was winging fences. The only two he missed were the third last and the last. Other than that he was spot on.
"That's the first time I rode now with Stephen. He was confident he would get the trip. He fancied him a lot. He battled.
"He likes quick ground. That was perfect for him there. I got a bit tight to it (the last) but when the horse came to him he stuck his head down and he battled."
Stephen Mahon said: "The last night I wanted to get a run into him and the ground turned overnight. Paul Carberry gave him a peach of a ride and didn't abuse him.
"If he didn't have that run he probably wouldn't have been winning tonight. I didn't really want to run on the ground but he was in so I decided not to pull him out.
"He's won twice around Galway. That'll be the plan and we'll see what the handicapper does with him.
"Somebody said to me the other day that I'd be trying to get him dropped a few pounds but I said I was trying to get him up for a change!
"He's the first horse of mine I've fancied for a while but I couldn't be overly confident with that last run."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
