Review leopardstown 28th Feb Smart chaser Felix Yonger put in a classy performance on his return to the smaller obstacles as he took the Ballsbridge Hurdle at Leopardstown.The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old, who hadn't run over timber for close on three years, was sent off the 4-5 favourite in the absence of one of his main rivals Golantilla and raced in second spot behind Western Boy for most of the way.Ruby Walsh sent him into a clear lead approaching the final flight and though he was kept honest by the jumps debutant Cardinal Palace, he wasn't hard pressed to win by two and a quarter lengths.She's Got Grit (13-2) lived up to her name with a tenacious victory in the valuable Mercury Engineering Handicap Chase for the Terence O'Brien team.Left in the lead four out when Sadler'sflaure unseated, she was hard pressed for the rest of the way as the challengers stacked up behind her, but she responded gamely to Adrian Heskin's urgings and fought off Fever Pitch to score by a length and a quarter.Henry de Bromhead's 8-11 favourite Sizing Granite won for the third time in four starts over fences when he asserted going to the last under Johnny Burke in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase and held Dysios by six lengths despite putting in a slow jump.Luke Dempsey is in terrific form and he put another one on the board when the Martin Hassett-trained Do Be Doin' (12-1) took the O'Callaghan Hotels Handicap Chase, holding the rallying Toomdeely by a length.Noel Meade's 15-8 chance Heck Thomas recorded a smooth success in the JP McManus colours in the Leopardstown Club Summer Membership Maiden Hurdle, easing into the lead going to the last in the hands of Paul Carberry and forging two lengths clear.The leading owner doubled up with a one-two in the Racecourse Of The Year Handicap Hurdle when Niall Madden got Sir Scorpion (11-1) home by half a length after collaring Tom Mullins-trained stablemate Princely Conn on the run-in. The trainer completed his own double when Charbel (7-1) impressed in the bumper.
