Oisin James leads Sounds Of Thunder away from the last© Photo Healy Racing
Rachael Blackmore and Denise O'Shea have developed a formidable partnership over the summer, and they recorded their fifth success together, as Oisin James claimed the Michael Moore Car Sales Mercedes-Benz Handicap Hurdle.
Having won at Tramore and Clonmel in May, the six-year-old son of Let The Lion Roar was then second and ninth on his next two starts.
Sent off a 9/2 joint-favourite this evening, he raced in mid-division. He improved into a closer fifth with a circuit to race, and made further progress to dispute the lead before the second last.
He hit the front before the final flight and was soon challenged by Sounds Of Thunder with just a head separating them at the line.
The runner-up was returned at 12/1 (from 16's) under Conor Brassil for Adrian McGuinness, while Point Of Rescue (10/1 to 8/1) completed the placings a further six and a half lengths back in third under Mark Walsh for James Nash.
The well-backed Croghill Tuppence was the other 9/2 joint-favourite (from 14's this morning and from 6's on-course), and he finished a disappointing thirteenth under Jonathan Moore for John Berry.
Denise O'Shea said afterwards: "He was brilliant. I was really contemplating pulling him out because of the ground. He's so tough.
"All credit to Rachael. I left it up to her what to do as she knows him so well. She gave him a great ride and was the winning of it.
"He did a lovely piece of work last week on Toppy Corcoran's gallop in Horse And Jockey where I do a lot of my work.
"We were quietly confident coming here but just a bit iffy when the rain came.
"Hopefully the ground picks up and himself and Supreme Vinnie go to Galway. The ground just went against Vinnie and I probably should have pulled him out."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
