Westport Cove battles back for Craddockstown crown

Westport Cove rallied bravely to deny odds-on favourite Fleur In The Park victory in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Craddockstown Novice Chase.

The top two in the market had the Grade Two contest between them rounding the home turn, with 9-4 chance Westport Cove and Paul Townend leading 10-11 shot Fleur In The Park and Cian Quirke as they faced up to jump the second fence from home.

Andrew Slattery’s Fleur In The Park soon took over and looked the most likely winner after kicking a couple of lengths clear on the approach to the last, but a slow leap gave the Willie Mullins-trained Westport Cove a glimmer of hope and he finished off the stronger to win a thrilling duel by a neck.

Mullins said: “He fought back bravely after a mistake at the second-last. He jumped the last well and is a very sharp jumper.

“I said ‘well done’ to Paul and he said ‘I hadn’t much to do with it’. The horse gallops, and once the tape goes down he’s gone.

“I haven’t any plan made, and I wasn’t sure that he’d handle this ground. The fact that he’s won on it is a big bonus and we may plan to stay training him for the winter. We might find something for him in the new year.”