"That was badly needed! This is all thanks to Jamie (Codd) who rode her in Limerick and said she jumped the third last and seemed to choke up on him so we got her palate fired and it seemed to have made all the difference," said David O'Brien after his Freeway Space landed the MicrodogID Beginners Chase at Clonmel.

The couple of fences in the straight had to be taken out here due to the low-lying sun but by that stage Freeway Space was in control of the two and a half miler in the hands of J J Slevin.

In the end he had twenty one lengths in hand of second home, Veneziano Springs

"She's in on Thursday (Thurles) and if she's alright she might run; I know the ground was testing there but I don't think she had an over-hard race," O'Brien elaborated.

Freeway Space carries the Cheltenham festival winning silks of the Delton Syndicate.

Fissure Seal won the American Express Gold Card Handicap Hurdle (Final) for them in 1993.

T. Ryan, rider of Robbina trained by W. Harney, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount gurgled all the way.

Owing to the low lying sun, the Stewards granted permission for fences 1 and 2 to be omitted from this race.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer reported to the Stewards that Monbeg Chit Chat (GB) trained by Henry de Bromhead was post race normal.

(TW & EM)