Northern Love and Ryan Treacy© Photo Healy Racing
You couldn’t take your eyes off the Paud, Sarah & Mary Fitzmaurice Memorial Handicap Chase late on as 3/1 joint favourite Northern Love got there on the line to win for Eric McNamara and Ryan Treacy.
McNamara was delighted to put a win on the board for owner/breeder Kevin McNamee, and Northern Love did well to score after mistakes at the final couple of fences.
The big Winged Love gelding was able to stay on his feet after the errors, unlike the mare Buttons And Bows Northern Love’s fellow market-leader was in with every chance when coming down at the last.
From there Bolbec tried his best to hang on, but he was nabbed in the last stride and beaten a short head by Northern Love.
"He has been unlucky and even today he just missed a couple of fences when he needed good jumps. While his jumping left him down, he is a good horse and probably was our best chance of the week,” said McNamara.
"He is 17.3hh, a huge horse and is only a six year old who is lightly enough raced. We won't over-race him and in time, as he progresses, I think is a three-mile horse.
"He'll have to keep improving yet to be a Kerry National horse in time but it is possible. He needs to jump better and if he jumped better today I thought he would have won well.
"He is a lovely horse and is owned by a fabulous man Kevin McNamee who trusts me with his life and we have a great relationship.
"It is great to get one winner for the week but now that we've had one, we'd love another tomorrow."
(TW & EM)
