Lynch maintains fine form

Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch enjoyed another good week on the track with winners at Naas and Leopardstown. Lynch partnered his 29th winner of the season when steering the Robbie Hennessy-trained Mister First to win a handicap chase by 14 lengths at Naas on Saturday. Winner number 30 arrived at Leopardstown on Sunday. On board the Dermot Weld-trained Hisaabaat, which was wearing blinkers for the first time, Lynch won a juvenile hurdle at the Foxrock track ahead of the Gordon Elliott-trained Shadow Catcher. "He did it well and got a lovely ride from Andrew," commented the trainer. Tony Martin saw his 50/1 outsider win the Deloitte Novice Hurdle when Benefficient, a maiden hurdle winner at Navan last December, caused a major shock for jockey Bryan Cooper. First-time blinkers gave the Noel Meade-trained Bat Masterson an overdue win in the opening maiden hurdle at Naas on Saturday where Davy Condon deputised for the injured Paul Carberry. Martin was also on the mark when Drinmore Chase winner Bog Warrior won a novice chase at the Kildare track and Cheltenham's Arkle Chase or Jewson Novice Chase remain on the radar. At Dundalk on Friday night Navan jockey Andrew Thornton was on the mark again when he partnered 33/1 chance Houdini Bright to victory for Curraha trainer Dermot McLoughlin. Owned by Ratoath man David Eiffe, Houdini Bright had never started at less than 25/1 in nine starts, but found the winning formula on this occasion. Dunshaughlin handler Edward Lynam was also on the mark when Spin Of A Coin, under Sam James, gained a second career win in a handicap.