Casey Top jumps the last under Bryan Cooper© Photo Healy Racing
Casey Top landed a tidy gamble as he ran out an easy winner of the feature race at Killarney this evening, the McSweeney Arms Hotel Handicap Chase over 2m 6f, under Bryan Cooper for Co Wexford trainer Leonard Whitmore.
Having opened at 14/1 this morning that price was quickly taken and he opened on course at just 13/2. He attracted further support on track and was sent to post the 5/1 joint favourite with Gala Dancer
Carrying just 9-10 he raced prominently throughout and travelled well before hitting the front at the second last. He asserted from there and stayed on well to score comfortably by four and a half lengths. Tranquil Sea (13/2) under Barry Geraghty ran a game race to finish second carrying top weight of 11-10 while the front running Derinlaur ran well to take third under Denis Hogan for Charlie Swan at 25/1.
The winner, who is a 9yo son of Topanoora, clearly has a liking for the Co Kerry venue as his form around here now reads 1231.
He won a handicap hurdle here in July of 2010 and won his novice chase at Kilbeggan in June of last year.
He was having his first start of 2012 this evening after finishing a decent sixth behind Muirhead in the Munster National at Limerick in October on his last start.
Winning trainer Leonard Whitmore said afterwards: "He runs well fresh and he won first time out last year as well but didn’t win again after that. It’s nice to be in the winners enclosure again.
"We will try and keep him fresh for the season. He might be a bit low to get into any of the big handicap chases but we might run him in a winners of two and then hopefully he would sneak into the Galway Plate."
Donal Murphy & Thomas Weekes
