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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Ballycairn wins the bumper after favourite breaks down

Sun 27th Dec 2020, 16:18

Ballycairn and Jamie Codd win the bumperBallycairn and Jamie Codd win the bumper
© Photo Healy Racing

The 4/11 favourite Reality Cheque had just hit the front travelling well in the ‘Paddy Power Flat One’ INH Flat Race when unfortunately breaking a leg and coming down around a furlong from the line.

The market leader had looked set to give Willie Mullins his fourth winner of the afternoon.

As it was, Ballycairn (13/2), having been headed and looking booked for second, was left in front again and ran on to beat Limestone Rock (22/1) by two and a half lengths, with Quirt Evans (14/1) back in third.

Patrick Mullins was apparently unscathed after his unfortunate fall.

The Gordon Elliott-trained winner had finished third to another Mullins inmate, Kilcruit, at Navan earlier in the month.

Winning rider Jamie Codd commented: "It’s not the way you would want to win any race but unfortunately that’s racing and that’s life. We were running a big race.

“He ran well in Navan and has improved from that. Wilson Dennison (winning owner) is a big supporter of the game in general and of Gordon so it’s nice to get a winner at Leopardstown for him.

“He’s a lovely prospect and is maturing all the time. He’s a real Fame And Glory and seems to be getting better with time.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.