O'Dwyer works wonders to prevail on Battle It Out Charlie O'Dwyer earned the plaudits after guiding Battle It Out (8/1) to a remarkable success in the Envirogreen Building Services Handicap Chase. Trained by his father Conor, O'Dwyer was always close to the pace aboard the Flemensfirth seven-year-old, improving into a share of the lead nine fences from home. Locked together with Folly Master and Cleatus Poolaw in the straight, the latter was dropped after blundering two out. The JP McManus-owned victor then made a mess of the final fence and almost unseated O'Dwyer, handing the initiative to Folly Master. However, the drama didn't end there, with Battle It Out recovering quickly before rallying gamely on the run-in, getting on top in the final strides to prevail by a neck. Returned at 4/1, the aforementioned Folly Master had to settle for second under Keith Donoghue, while Cleatus Poolaw (18/1) was another four and a half lengths away in third. The Robert Tyner-trained Better Times Ahead was the 3/1 favourite and he finished 12-lengths back in fourth. "Listen, super! By God, I haven't got a fright like that in a long time!" the winning handler reflected. "He gave him a lovely ride - we didn't tie him to instructions and Frank (Berry) just said 'wherever he is happy'. "He had lost his form. We knew from the day he won in Naas he had huge ability. Just bits and pieces - trips and I put a hood on him then. I don't know (why he lost his form) to be honest. "Things fell for him nicely today - soft ground, travelled well and jumped great bar the last. He really was (up for it on the run-in). I thought when he did that (at the last), that was it. He stuck the head down well." STEWARDS REPORTS * The Raceday Stewards requested a report from Conor O'Dwyer, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Battle It Out, placed first, as compared with its recent form. Conor O'Dwyer stated that the removal of the hood coupled with more suitable ground today had helped to bring about the apparent improvement in form. Having considered the report the Raceday Stewards noted the content of the report. * A. Harvey, rider of Street Value, trained by J.P. Flavin, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was pulled up injured. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
