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Witness back on form

Sole WitnessSole Witness
© Photo Healy Racing

The Colin McBratney-trained Sole Witness ran out a convincing winner of the Prancer and Dancer Handicap Chase at Navan as stamina proved the key.

Hidden Present and Ballinahow Lady cut out the running in the two-and-a-half mile contest and had the field at work turning for home.

Ben Dalton chased them down, on Sole Witness, at the second last fence however and his mount asserted before the last.

Dalton could afford to ease down in the closing stages to post a four-length win over Ballinahow Lady.

The runner-up just held the late charge of 5/1 joint favourite Mr Goodenough who made late ground after racing in rear. Clashnabrook was the other market leader but was pulled up.

16/1 shot Sole Witness was bouncing back to form having been mid-division on his return to action over hurdles at Down Royal last month.

“He was to run in the Troytown here last month but scoped badly on the Monday before the race so wasn't even entered,” revealed McBratney.

“Hopefully we'll have a crack now at the Thyestes. He got a great ride from Ben who took his time. He stays well and jumps well out of this ground.

“It's amazing that he can't win off a rating of 101 over hurdles but he just likes a fence.”

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.