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Ciankyle one for the bookies

Ciankyle leads after jumping the last from Carlyan who made a bad mistakeCiankyle leads after jumping the last from Carlyan who made a bad mistake
© Photo Healy Racing

Ciankyle served up a 25/1 shock in the extended two and a quarter mile handicap hurdle in Downpatrick.

He picked up the lead after the fourth last and made the best way home. He was pressed by Carlyan at the last but she made a mistake there which stopped her forward momentum. Her jockey Johnny Burke subsequently lost his irons.

The four-year-old gelding strode up the hill to beat Carlyan (8/1) by three lengths with Authorative (10/1) a further nine lengths away in third.

Mark Bolger said: "He has shown us bits but he put everything together today. I'd like to think there's bit more in the tank."

Handler Peter Cluskey said: "They are scarce! He ran well enough in Ballinrobe and then he was a little disappointing in Tipperary. We thought we had him right today.

"He'll do us proud and he'll go a little further. He jumped very well and Mark said he didn't want to hit the front as soon as he did but he jumped and travelled his way there. They are there to be jumped."

The winner paid almost 41/1 on the Tote. This was Peter Cluskey's first winner since June 2013. The owner Hugh Calvey is from Julianstown.

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.