Well-touted Tiger up to the task

Grecian Tiger eventually held all challengers at Naas
(Healy Racing Photos)

Things went swimmingly well through the contest for Grecian Tiger's rider, Robbie McNamara, to help erase the memory of the unseat at the start from Beeverstown earlier in the day.

However the Limerick pilot may have felt that he was in for one of those days when the winning Tiger Hill gelding got lonely in front in the closing stages of the concluding bumper.

Owned by Joe Higgins and trained by Dermot Weld, Grecian Tiger eventually lasted home to defeat Totally Dominant by a length.

Weld explained: "He got there like he was going to bolt-up and he just got a little bit tired. He's a nice horse and I thought he would win.

"He just began to tie up and he'll appreciate better ground.

"The four-year-old winners bumper at Leopardstown is the logical plan and we'll see how he gets on there.

"They went a good pace which they usually don't in those races. Robbie got there sooner than he planned but he had to go when he got the gap."

Stan James go 25/1 Grecian Tiger for the Cheltenham Bumper. (GC & EM)