Kilbeggan Result

See also » Chitu in 50/1 shocker
I definitely wasn't expecting that. It was a pleasant surprise. The horses were out of form but we had a couple of winners at Perth last Sunday and they seem to be starting to run a bit better. I was on the cold list as I had gone 99 days without a winner but that's three winners in less than a week now. His last couple of runs were very disappointing. The change in ground probably helped him. He doesn't want it soft by any means but that just left it nice and it was similar ground to the day he won his maiden hurdle. We had thought he might go novice chasing but I'm not sure what the plan is now. S R B Crawford, trainer

The Stewards requested a report from S.R.B. Crawford, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Chitu, placed first, as compared with its recent form. The trainer reported that his animal had run very keen in bumpers when restrained and ridden to come with one run. He was ridden in a similar manner at Musselburgh where he won a poor class of maiden hurdle. Since then he ran in a Graded race at Leopardstown in January before being given a break and reappearing at Ballinrobe where he tired in the closing stages, followed by his run at Kilbeggan where he dropped out in the back straight and lost his place before running at Bellewstown where he failed to handle the soft underfoot conditions. He felt that tonight his charge switched off well when ridden on the outer in mid division where he jumped and travelled well to arrive with a good run on preferred underfoot conditions. He added that he had failed to have a success in the last three months from sixty six runners but his horses had returned to form with two winners at Perth last weekend before tonights success. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the content of the report.

An extended handicap hurdle for four yrs old and upwards rated 80-123
Penalties - Winner of a hurdle race after calculation of the handicap to carry 6lb extra for each hurdle race won.