Judgement Day, white star on cap, battles Niven© Photo Healy Racing
Judgement Day s tenacity was rewarded with a victory in the Kieran Kelly Memorial Beginners Chase at Kilbeggan.
Henry de Bromhead's 9/4 joint favourite came off the bridle after the third last as strong-travelling Niven challenged him.
Judgement Day came under Mark Enright's whip after the penultimate fence with Sean Flanagan still motionless on Niven alongside them.
Judgement Day didn't allow Niven to get away from him, though, and refused to yield the inner rail. Sharps Choice closed on the pair coming to the last but crashed out of contention there.
Judgement Day kept boxing on and gamely took the spoils by half a length.
Runner-up Niven was a 3/1 chance. He was four and a half lengths in front of Lady Quill who didn't go unbacked at 33/1.
Mark Enright said: "The cheekpieces definitely helped him - he travelled well early on. His jumping kind of fell to pieces on the second circuit.
"He showed battling qualities there which I didn't think he showed at Wexford. He is lazy and I think the further he'll go the better."
The Stewards interviewed M.A. Enright, rider of Judgement Day, concerning his use of the whip in in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that M.A. Enright was in breach of Regulation 10.3 (f), in that he had used his whip with excessive frequency, and having considered his previous record in this regard suspended him for one race day.
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
