Colonel Braxton makes early exit

It's not often a trainer leaves the races with two races won and a feeling of what might have been, but that's what Colonel Braxton did to Dessie Hughes at Fairyhouse yesterday.

The SunAlliance hope was cruelly brought down at the third fence of his chasing debut and leaves Hughes with the quandary of whether or not to give Colonel Braxton another start before Christmas.

"We're still looking at the Neville Chase on the 29th but there's a race over two miles at Punchestown next Wednesday that we might run him in. If we don't, we will school him around Punchestown," Hughes said.

Colonel Braxton jumped the first two obstacles of the Mulhuddart Chase impeccably and did nothing wrong either at the third in front of the stands. However, Jackrafter took a crashing fall right in the path of the 4 to 6 favourite and the Colonel had nowhere to go but down.

"The horse is fine. These things just happen," said Hughes, whose mood was brightened later by both Columba in the maiden hurdle and the topweight I'vehadit in the novice handicap.

The latter was particularly impressive in completing a hat-trick, and his trainer commented: "That's his trip and he'll stay in this company." The former SunAlliance Hurdle runner-up No Discount didn't hit the dirt in the second beginners' chase, but he was pulled up before the fourth last behind Give Over.

The winner's trainer Eddie Hales intends sending Wicked Crack back to Chepstow for the Welsh National following her weekend second, and reported: "There's not a bother on her. It's like putting a saddle on Mrs Thatcher!"

There was no anti-climax following the bumper, as last year's one-time Weatherbys Festival Bumper favourite, Beechcourt, shot back to the top of the race market with an ultra-smooth victory.

"We decided to stay with bumpers and hopefully he will go to Leopardstown at Christmas and then Cheltenham," said trainer Michael O'Brien.

Beechcourt hadn't run since January but shot clear on the bend to win in a canter and was immediately promoted to 5 to 1 Cheltenham favourite by Cashmans.

"He has such a such a good cruising speed that he never comes off the bridle at home, so he probably needed that race. He is a quick horse with plenty of pace but we'll know more at Christmas," added O'Brien.

Baron De Feypo received a 40 to 1 Triumph Hurdle quote from Ladbrokes after just holding off Don't You Dare in the juvenile hurdle.