Review DOWN ROYAL 2ND SEP

Colm Murphy had an upbeat report on his stablestars Brave Inca and Fethard Lady after saddling Spes Ultima to take the opening 2m4f maiden hurdle at the northern venue.

Clear championship leader Ruby Walsh recorded his 53rd winner of the campaign on the hard-pulling six-year-old, leading before halfway before holding the late flourish of Symphonist by a length.

Murphy has no major plans for the easy-to-back 2/1 favourite but he revealed that Fethard Lady is back in training, while he also reports Champion Hurdler Brave Inca in good form.

'Brave Inca will probably reappear in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November, while Fethard Lady will start back around the same time,' said the Wexford trainer.

Testing ground conditions after heavy overnight rain was the main cause of over 20 non-runners with the featured He Majesty's Plate losing its two principals Good Surprise and Cool Touch.

Zanderi took full advantage of the absentee's as the 4/6 favourite cruised home to a facile 5 1/2L victory over Maralan, with Fran Berry hardly moving a muscle in the closing stages.

Berry, earlier suspended two days for careless riding on Deneuve in the 5f handicap, doubled up when Lend A Grand readily landed the claimer.

Pat Flynn's Carrick-on-Suir yard is firing on all cylinders at present, and River Nurey added to the good run when making all under Richie Kiely in the 2m winners hurdle.

Kiely (20), from Dungarvan, was partnering his first winner on the track and his 12th career victory and aggressive tactics paid dividends as the grey stayed on resolutely to beat evens favourite War General by 11L.

Yabbits was withdrawn at the start after found to be amiss, resulting in a 15c Rule 4 deduction to those collecting on the 6/4 winner.

Paul Nolan was as surprised as anyone after the Alain Cawley-ridden Rock Angel made a successful handicap debut in the 2m handicap hurdle.

The sister to the recently deceased Kinger Rocks survived a stewards enquiry, drifting left onto the flattering Charming Hymn approaching the last before digging deep on the run-in to prevail by a neck.

'Her previous three runs were on fast ground and that was totally unexpected. I simply can't understand how she ran so well,' confessed Nolan afterwards.

Willie Supple consolidated his place in the top ten of the Flat jockeys' table (24 wins) when 10/1 chance Johnny Angel asserted in the final furlong to beat Deneuve by 1L in the sprint handicap.