It Came To Pass and Maxine O'Sullivan© Photo Healy Racing
A half-brother to Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere, It Came To Pass won the Dan Linehan's Bar And B & B Hunters Chase at Killarney this evening for the father and daughter team of Eugene and Maxine O'Sullivan.
The 8/13 shot was held up in the rear, and he was sixth at the sixth.
He took closer order after four out, closed three out, and improved to lead before two out.
It Came To Pass (also a full-brother to the classy Sub Lieutenant) then kept on well after the last to beat great old warrior On The Fringe by a length and a quarter.
"He took longer than we expected to get him ready for Cheltenham this year and that's why missed it but he'll go there next year," said the winning trainer.
"I'll thank my gods for today and leave it for the season now and he'll come back next year. I'll get him out before Christmas and aim for Cheltenham.
"The owner (Gerald O'Sullivan) is a lovely man from England who has horses with me for 20 years and wanted to go to Cheltenham but it didn't work out this year and he wasn't qualified for Aintree.
"We were unlucky in Punchestown and it is for those days that we got him."
The Stewards interviewed Mr M.J. O'Connor, rider of Ajijic concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that Mr M.J. O'Connor was in breach of Regulation 10.3(h) in that he had used his whip with the arm above shoulder height. Having taken his previous record in this regard into account, the Stewards cautioned Mr. M.J. O'Connor on this occasion.
(TW & EM)
