Final Gift © Photo Healy Racing
Final Gift justified good support when claiming the two-mile six-furlong handicap chase at Tramore for John Costello.
The Old Vic gelding proved another well-backed winner on the card as he returned a 10/3 shot having been 7/1 this morning.
Jonathan Moore settled behind the leaders and was left chasing Ballyfinboy when 15/8 favourite Shadow Play crashed out at the sixth.
He tackled that rival going to the second last and asserted before the final fence to record a six-and-a-half length win.
The winner had landed a hunters chase over course and distance back in 2013 and was fourth on his last outing at Ballinrobe.
"He was a good point-to-point horse. I suppose that is his level over fences and it looked like if you couldn't be competitive in a race like that you were going to struggle from here on being a ten-year-old,” said Costello.
“It's nice to win a race and I suppose with the ground being the way it is it wasn't the most competitive affair in the world but you take your chances.
“He always promised to be better than he actually turned out. I suppose that applies to a lot of horses.
“That's his third chase win and he has won four or five point-to-point's. He has been a good fun horse. As long as he is sound now he will keep going.
“That's as quick now as he'd like the ground, he'd just rather a little more juice. He is not really a winter ground horse."
Shadow Play was unfortunately put down after he collided with a rail and broke a leg when running loose.
(Quotes by Donal Murphy)
