Tackmaster shows his potential The strong-travelling Tackmaster (3/1) took the two and a half mile beginners’ chase at Kilbeggan in the Gigginstown House Stud colours sported by jockey Davy Russell. Noel Meade’s charge jumped into the lead three out and was going well, however, after the last he squeezed up runner-up Canale on the home bend rail and had to survive a stewards enquiry to prevail by three lengths. Bookmakers found it hard to lay Canale, trained by Dessie Hughes and ridden by Bryan Cooper, as he drifted from a morning price of 11/8 to an SP of 5/2. “He jumped very well. He was lazy in front, it was the first time he has been there on his own for so long. He was probably there long enough with passing the stables and all that. He has always looked like a chaser,” Noel Meade commented on Tackmaster. Henry de Bromhead’s Lord Ben was very popular on track, backed in to 5/4 favouritism from 7/4, but he finished third of the eight runners, beaten 20 lengths by the winner. He had been 9/4 in the morning. Despite the placings remaining unaltered after the stewards enquiry, Davy Russell picked up a two-day suspension for careless riding. Michael Graham
