Stewards fine Martin £500

The Naas stewards last night handed out a £500 fine to trainer Tony Martin, banned his horse Comrade Chinnery from racing for 42 days and gave rider Joe Sheridan a 10-day suspension after the Monread Handicap Hurdle. After a prolonged inquiry the stewards decided the track had been used as a training ground and that Sheridan had made insufficient effort. It was a rare reversal of luck for the Co. Meath-based Martin, who has plundered valuable races in Britain this season with impressive regularity.

Comrade Chinnery finished in eighth place behind the winner, Oliver's Island. Jason Maguire had a difficult job with the hard-pulling ex-Noel Meade horse, but settled better in the lead.

Meade, on the brink of becoming champion trainer for the first time, confirmed that this has been his best season ever when Try For Ever became his 71st winner of the jumps term. Seventy winners last season had been his previous best total.

Barry Geraghty had to use his whip on the mare at the start. Try For Ever had refused to race on her last start at the Curragh in October and briefly she looked to consider a similar option.

However once Geraghty had persuaded her otherwise, she raced smoothly from the rear and had too many gears for Koko Nor once touching down over the last.

J-Okay is the sole horse trained by permit holder Vincent Ward and he fought back well under Kieran Gaule after being headed before the turn in to beat the complete outsider in the maiden hurdle, the 40 to 1 Carina Bay.

Oyster Catcher was an easy winner of the six furlong maiden for Aidan O'Brien.