Diamond proves best in dreadful conditions

RACING/Leopardstown Sunday: Noel Meade adopted the scatter-gun approach to the Paddy Power Handicap Chase and it was the 14 to 1 outsider Coq Hardi Diamond that hit the bullseye.

The champion trainer had four of the 21-strong field, with the fourth favourite Woodenbridge Natif the choice of stable jockey Paul Carberry.

It was a powerful enough squad to have the sponsors going just 11 to 4 about Meade ending up in the number one spot, but Carberry got it badly wrong.

As Coq Hardi Diamond recovered from a last-fence blunder to go one place better than two years ago, Carberry had a mud-spattered view from the rear of the nine finishers.

Instead it was Gary Hutchinson who milked the applause and picked up the biggest pot of his short career.

"I was beside Paul for a lot of the race but from the third last I was happy I was going to win. He jumped unbelievably except for the last, but fair dues he did great," the 22-year-old claimer from Tramore said.

Meade was sympathetic to Carberry and described the conditions the race was run in as "dreadful". He said: "In ground like that no one can know. Horses aren't worked over three miles so no one really knows.

"I thought Coq Hardi Diamond and Woodenbridge Natif were the best of ours and Paul was happy to opt for the other one. I left it to him, but we had Gary booked for a while.

"Conditions are dreadful. All the horse does is gallop but he goes on it and he had the lightweight. In heavy ground that is a must."

The other outsiders, Satcoslam and Clonmel's Minella, filled the minor placings, but the favourite Finians Ivy was pulled up before the last. He was reported to have gurgled in running but was tested post-race as normal.

Liss A Paoraigh made all for a comfortable win in the first, but starter Joe Banahan got into trouble with the stewards because of the winner's flying start. Banahan was reprimanded and cautioned to effect a fair start in future.

"She obviously handled the ground and we'll put her in the AIG," said trainer John Kiely. Stage Affair, 25 lengths back in second, will also be trained for the AIG.

Solerina justified the odds on with a distance defeat of her only rival, Central House, in the future champions novice hurdle. The only slight moment of concern was a mistake at the third last, but Solerina did enough to also earn an entry for the AIG.

"We will probably stick her in the AIG, just as an entry. There is a novice hurdle the same day and we'll see what the penalties are like for that," said owner John Bowe.

"I was surprised Central House took her on but she loved it because she likes taking on horses and she is so genuine."

Mutineer ended a run of third placings with a 10-length defeat of the favourite Newlands Gold in the three-year-old hurdle, but the impact on the Triumph market was neglible. Dessie Hughes' horse is as long as 50 to 1 with Cashmans.

The Ryanair director Cathal Ryan had his colours carried to victory in the maiden hurdle by Stacumny Bridge, and Kahuna earned a 33 to 1 quote for the Cheltenham bumper by making a winning debut in the last.

Mutineer, goes on to win the Paddy Power Festival

Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

- (Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill).

A crowd of 14,326 bet €1,763,966 with the bookmakers on the re-scheduled Paddy Power race day yesterday afternoon.

As a result of Friday's postponement the bookie turnover didn't match the €1,989,658 total of Paddy Power day last year.

The crowd was also down 3,223 and the Tote total of €514,794 compared to €667,136 last year.

However, the figures were all up on Saturday, including the bookmakers' turnover of €1,964,476 which was up €235,200 on last year.

The 13,789 attendance was 1,765 more than last year and the Tote figure of €512,171 was an €52,122 increase on 2001.