FLOOD IN HOT WATER AT NAAS

Grangecon trainer Francis Flood had a mixed afternoon at Naas yesterday, the highlight when scooping the Kill Handicap Chase with Speed Board, the downside finding himself in hot water with the stewards after the beginners chase.

Flood and his rider son and namesake were both in trouble with the officials after their 20/1 chance Star Storm finished fifth behind Killultagh Storm and Ruby Walsh in the BBA Opera Hat Beginners Chase over two miles.

Flood Snr. was fined #400 for using the racetrack as a training ground while his son was banned for seven days for insufficient effort. The horse was also penalised and suspended for 42 days.

It was a different story for the Flood yard one hour later when 12/1 shot Speed Board took full advantage of the penultimate fence fall of front-runner Quality First to land the Kill Handicap Chase in the hands of Emmett Stack.

The Kilwarden Handicap Hurdle was certainly not short of incident when Battery Park and Willie Slattery slipped up on the level after the fifth last flight when chasing the leaders, bringing down the chasing Hollybank Buck (Ruby Walsh) and Jaguar Claw (Charlie Swan).

At first it appeared champion Ruby Walsh escaped with just a slight gash to his chin but it later transpired after the bumper won by Hour Of Need that he was found to be slightly concussed after the fall. He will now miss several plum rides at Leopardstown this afternoon, including Florida Pearl in the feature, after been stood down for seven days.

Charlie Swan was quickly on his feet but Willie Slattery, like Ruby Walsh, was not so lucky and was taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs.

Victory went to market leader Give Over and Joe Casey after which trainer Eddie Hales declared his charge will head to Cheltenham next month to contest the Stakis Casinos Handicap Hurdle, a race he finished sixth in last season.

Circus Maximus responded gamely to a determined ride from David Evans to win the opening 4-Y-O hurdle, prompting winning trainer Dermot Weld to nominate a handicap next for the American bred gelding.

Favourite backers looked set to start the session on a losing note when Evans was hard at work at the half-way stage but, much to the credit of both horse and rider, the pair kept on well to forge into the lead close home to defeat Waterwing and David Casey.

Casey suffered a horrible fall in the next when warm favourite Take Five crashed out at the last when beaten in the beginners chase won by Killultagh Storm and stood himself down for the remainder of the afternoon.

The success of Al O'Connell's 20/1 shot Brookvale and Tommy Treacy in the 2m maiden hurdle contributed somewhat to a #10,000 jackpot carryover to the venue on 25th February with no units remaining going into the last leg which was won by Billy Rock's Wee Annie and Garrett Cotter. BF