Nobody Home (nearest) stays on best to be A Sizing Network© Photo Healy Racing
Nobody Home recorded his second win of the year, and his first over fences, as he took the Follow KilbegganRaces on Twitter Handicap Chase.
Successful over flights at Punchestown in May, the Eddie Cawley owned and trained seven-year-old was fourth to Eiri Na Casca on his most recent start at Tipperary.
Having opened at 12s, he proved easy to back on-course, and went off a 16/1 chance under Chris Timmons.
Settled behind the leaders in third, he improved a place into second after four out. He was ridden in pursuit of the leader after the second last, and got to the front at the final fence, keeping on well from there to score by four and a quarter lengths. A Sizing Network (5s to 4s on-course), who attempted to make all, had to settle for second under Robbie Power for Jessica Harrington, while Na Trachtalai Abu (7/2jfav) was two and a quarter lengths back in third for Paul Townend and James Motherway.
The hat-trick seeking Black Zambezi was the other joint-favourite, and he was twenty-four lengths back in fourth.
Cawley said afterwards: "He's never run that well over that trip. We've tried him a good few times over hurdles over two-and-a-half.
"The last day he ran very well and we were happy with him coming out of Tipperary. I thought that run was nearly good enough to win.
"I didn't know if he would handle this track as every time we ran him on a good track everyone said don't go to a tighter track with him. All of them were wrong!
"You don't know if you don't try. The race sort of fell his way. He stayed on well. He won a three-mile hurdle in Punchestown and that's a good staying track.
"I'd say there is a race or two in him. We'll look for something similar and I haven't even looked beyond today.
"I said if he didn't run well today I'd give him a break. I kept him during the summer hoping he'd pick up a couple of races. I'm happy enough with him there. I'll mix him between hurdles and fences."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
