Thari, a promising hurdler last season which included a Grade 3 hurdle victory at Fairyhouse in April, made a winning bow over fences when taking the Connacht Tribune Beginners Chase under a confident ride from Paul Carberry on the opening day of the Galway September meeting yesterday.
After the five-year-old, owned by retired Dublin businessman Des Sharkey, scored eased down from Ballyconnell winning trainer Noel Meade said, ' When I schooled him over fences at home he jumped brilliantly so we decided to concentrate on a novice chasing campaign with him this season,' said Meade before he added, 'The plan would be to give him a few more runs now before a mid Winter break with a view to bringing him back for the better races in the Spring.'
Gort-based Hannah Lee, who acquired a permit to train a year ago, saddled her first winner when 25/1 shot Lorenco Lad scored easily in the hands of Tommy Treacy. Bred by her husband Joe the Glacial Storm gelding came home seven lengths clear of front running Always Game.
Curragh trainer Mick Halford can do little wrong these days and he found the winners enclosure after the Tom Hogan Motors handicap over 12f when Golden Cross wore down Peace In Ireland well inside the final furlong and comfortably held Socrates by a length and a half.
Donie Hassett, successful with That's The Story in the Carl Scarpa handicap Hurdle, completed a mixed double in the penultimate handicap when Kings Feature landed a tidy gamble under Sean Cleary.
The light-weight, wearing a tongue tie for the first time, drew right away from front-running Harlenog after turning from home and went away on the testing ground to come home with ten lengths to spare at the line.
