Usa (farside) was better at the last than Shrapnel but the latter still won© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott summed things up nicely after Shrapnel s win in the second at Fairyhouse by saying: "Davy (Russell) gave him a good ride. I wasn't sure if he was fit enough coming here and he's given a good blow and he'll come on a bit from the run.
"He jumped great but he minds himself that much that he's never going to do too much wrong.
"When things go right for him he's grand but I wouldn't want to be depending on him too much." Usa under Barry Geraghty, looked an assured winner of this Fairyhouse Racecourse For Fundraisers Beginners Chase, when much faster away from the final fence than Shrapnel (a chase debutant today but a point-to-point winner of the past).
However, for backers of that 3/1 shot, the run-in proved to be excruciatingly long as Russell got a good tune out of Shrapnel against the nearside rail.
The victor, a half-brother to Weapon's Amnesty (dual Cheltenham Festival winner) got up near the line in the Gigginstown House Stud silks to prevail by half a length.
Niall 'Slippers' Madden deputised for Davy Condon on Thomond and that pair had to settle for third place, eight and a half lengths adrift. (GC & EM)
