Old Supporter (left) and Baby Whizz jump the last together© Photo Healy Racing
First time blinkers worked a treat on Baby Whizz as he got up close home to win the Ladbrokes Handicap Chase, providing rider Mark Walsh and owner JP McManus with a quick double on the card (won the previous contest with Formidableopponent .
This eight-year-old son of Dr Massini won three hurdles in 2011/12, with his last success coming way back in January of 2012.
Badly out of form since that win he ran a bit better over hurdles on his last start at Navan in March, finishing just over ten lengths fifth of sixteen behind Allez Vic.
Back over fences this evening and fitted with blinkers for the first time he was sent off an 8/1 chance having opened at 11’s on-course.
Settled in mid-division he made progress into fourth entering the straight and travelled well in third at the third last.
He made a slight mistake at the second last when coming with his challenge and he was ridden to dispute before the last where he made another mistake.
He dropped to second after that error but under a strong drive from Mark Walsh he got up in the closing stages, going on to score by half a length at the line. Old Supporter who attempted to make all, finished a gallant second under Andrew McNamara for Peter McCreery at 9/1, while Fennis Moll (5/1) kept on to take third a further three and three parts of a length back under Brian Hayes for John Hanlon.
The Baler went off the 10/3 favourite but he could only manage a disappointing eighth under Jonathan Burke for Philip Dempsey, while the well-backed Railway Storm (20/1 this morning into 6/1 at the off) just missed out on a place in fourth.
Winning trainer Tom Mullins said afterwards: "It has been a long time coming. He is a bit of a brat.
"We have been threatening to put blinkers on him and we finally did and we will keep them on as long as they work.
"We may find something for him in Galway.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
