Three of The Big Dog s four wins have come in valuable handicap chases and the Mahler nine-year-old stayed on best under Keith Donoghue to land the 60,000 Euros first prize in the Bar One Racing Troytown Chase.

Successful in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown last year and in the Munster National at Limerick on his previous start, The Big Dog tracked the leaders and moved into second after the third-last. Lifetime Ambition and 7lb claimer Conor Smithers had led from flagfall and were making the best of their way home at that point.

A fast leap two out saw Lifetime Ambition consolidate his lead but the eventual winner closed to press the front-runner at the last where neither horse was fluent. It was The Big Dog who gathered stride quicker though, as Lifetime Ambition landed in a bit of a heap, and he stayed on well to score by three and a half lengths with the first two well clear of the remainder.

Dunshaughlin native Donoghue said: "I knew this lad stayed and I was glad to see a good pace in the race.

"He didn't jump as well as he can today and the picture at the last won't be great, but we got over it and I knew the finish here would suit.

He's a real stayer and was always going to keep finding for me. When he got to the front his ears were pricked, he'd loads left. It's brilliant."

Winning trainer Peter Fahey said: “I was telling the lads (Damien and Colin Kelly, owners) going to Limerick that he would improve a good bit from it but when he won I was thinking how am I going to improve him from this.

“He stepped up today and is a very lucky horse for me and the lads. It was a good performance today carrying the weight

“The way he’s performing he could end up being a Grand National horse.”

Quotes from Alan Magee