Juniper Hill caused a 33/1 surprise in winning Tipperary’s Junction Mares Handicap Hurdle today, scoring under a waiting ride from jockey Sean Flanagan, for Paul Nolan and the trainer’s local Moonlight Syndicate.

The five-year-old Affinisea-sired mare was having her first run since May and held up in rear, made headway on the inside rounding the final turn before leading on the run-in and eventually holding on for an all-out nose win over Milanaway

Trainer Nolan reported “she ran well in a bumper here but then disappointed although had a layoff after her last run. We thought she’d improve for today’s run, running for the first time over three miles, so rode her for luck. We were worried she wouldn’t get home so we said we’d mind her and Sean snuck her into the race lovely.

“She is owned by a local syndicate, mainly from Adamstown, so I’m delighted for them.”