Pat Smullen is left in the stalls as runners break for the third at Bellewstown© Photo Healy Racing
Three Bells defied top-weight to land division one of the Play The Tote Jackpot Handicap for local Slane based trainer Pat Downey.
The four-year-old son of Moss Vale was unlucky at Limerick and Sligo in June, but he gained a deserved victory at Fairyhouse on his last start, and went up nine pounds for that success.
Having opened the 11/4 market leader with Paddy Power this morning, the Gary Carroll ridden gelding was available at 4/1 on-course before going off the 7/2 joint-favourite.
After racing in second, he came to challenge the front-running Kalacan two furlongs out.
He disputed the lead with that fellow from there, before kicking on inside the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter at the line.
Kalacan, who was backed from 12/1 to 8/1 on-course, had to settle for second under Declan McDonogh for Denise Foster, while Liberty To Rock the other joint-favourite, finished two and a quarter lengths back in third under Ronan Whelan for Jim Gorman.
Amazingly the first three home also finished in the first three places in this race last year, with Liberty To Rock winning, Kalacan finishing second, while Three Bells was third.
Pat Downey said afterwards: "Fairyhouse, Bellewstown and Navan are the three for him.
"The plan is to go to Listowel next, then I’d love to go to Navan with him.
"When he comes to the races he doesn’t behave but he is brilliant at home and I can’t thank the stall handlers enough today (needed to be blindfolded going into the stalls).
"I thought the ground might be a bit lively for him but he got a lead the whole way and he is improving and improving.
"The main aim is Listowel, that’s where I think he will run best. We might stay the night there!"
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
