Bruant swoops late to gain second course win Bruant benefitted from a well-timed challenge by Daniel King to snatch the spoils close home in the Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick. Tell Us This, successful at Tramore last time for Gavin Cromwell before being claimed to join Andrew McNamara, made a bold bid to make all and still appeared the likely winner on the run-in. However, he was collared in the final strides by both Aboras Mahler and the Tony Martin-trained Bruant, with the latter scoring by half a length. Tell Us This faded to finish a further length and a quarter back in third. Bruant, available at 22/1 overnight and sent off here at 10/1, also won at this venue last year having won twice on the Flat in France for Jean-Claude Rouget. King said, “It was a very nice performance. "He can be quite keen and things, but we went a nice gallop and he relaxed really well. Jumped really well and took me into the race nicely. Hit the hill strong and hit the line strong, so it was a nice performance. "He likes it here, I suppose. Hopefully, he can build on that and there will be plenty of fun to be had with him. "I wasn't really (worried), he did everything right through the race - relaxed, the main thing was to switch him off. He did that nicely and jumped well into the race. "I suppose he has been a little bit disappointing. Hopefully now that he has got his head in front, he can build on it. Hopefully, for the owner (Elizabethcarsonracing Syndicate) as well, a good supporter of Tony's. "Tony is very good to me. I have been going in there quite a while but, in fairness since the first day I went in there, he supported me really well so I can't thank him enough. I'm delighted to ride him a winner. "My best season (last season) so far, so hopefully I will keep it going now into this year. My brother (Connor) had a tremendous year as well. I'd say in time he will (expand numbers), he was quite happy with the two horses he had!" Quotes by Michael Graham
