Tristram Shandy, red and yellow cap, comes through to win© Photo Healy Racing
Tristram Shandy relished every yard of the three miles in Tipperary as he posted a second course and distance success.
It was three runs back that he obliged here under Mark Bolger in a handicap hurdle and he repeated the feat with Ruby Walsh driving him home for trainer Eric McNamara. Varene De Vauzelle and Notification had pulled clear from the second last and were settling down to fight out the spoils but Tristram Shandy had other ideas.
The nine-year-old gelding started to stay on from the penultimate flight and had moved into a threatening third approaching the last.
He put in a slick jump there and landed full of running which enabled him to deliver a powerful challenge between horses and hit the front in the closing stages.
He was weak in the market from 7/2 out to 9/2 but accounted for Notification (12/1) by a length and a half. The 11/4 favourite, Varene De Vauzelle, was a neck away in third. He was strong in the betting from 4/1.
"What can you say about that ride? Ruby was absolutely brilliant." Eric McNamara said.
"I chatted to him before the race and he was worried there wouldn't be enough pace in the race. He loves passing horses and he needs someone with balls to ride him.
"He is a real staying horse and while he isn't blessed with speed, Ruby knows him so well and he jumped well again today.
"He's in Limerick on Sunday under a 4lbs penalty - I'll see but mightn't run if he receives four or five pounds for winning today."
The winner is owned by Limerick-based Etna Fox, originally from Dublin.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
