Winner of the four-year-old maiden at Lemonfield the year after Minella Foru took the same event, Lift The Latch appeared for the first since (March 2014) to justify the faith of those that sent him off a nicely backed 100/30 chance for the David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Maiden Hurdle.

A striking looking Beneficial gelding, Lift The Latch is out of Queen Astrid, and she won the Listed Saval Beg Stakes back in 2003 and took the Listed Grabel Mares Hurdle at Punchestown in 2005. This is the immediate family of Majestic Concorde, Elegant Concorde and Elegant Statesman.

Lift The Latch won his 'point' for Enda Bolger but the J P McManus team have since sent him to Tony Martin and here in the hands of Mark Walsh he asserted entering the straight before staying on well for an easy six and a half length win over Indian Court

"We've had him a while but things didn't go to plan and he's had a few niggling problems. He won his point-to-point as a four-year-old and had a few schooling races so he'd done plenty," stated Martin.

"It's hard to know what sort of race it was but he's a good looking horse and has the size and frame to jump fences. I'd imagine he'll go over fences next season."

(AM & EM)