McConnell on the mark at Cheltenham

Meath trainer John McConnell had a busy Friday schedule with runners at Dundalk on the flat and over the jumps at Cheltenham.

It was at Prestbury Park where McConnell made it into the winners enclosure when Sean Bowen partnered Bardenstown Lad to victory in a novice hurdle.

A winner of a bumper at Tipperary, a maiden hurdle at Wexford and a novice hurdle at Cartmel, this was victory number four for the six-year-old.

It was a somewhat eventful for the McConnell winner which stayed on well on the flat after the last although the saddle slipped.

Bardenstown Lad won a point-to-point in November last year and was sold for £42,000 the following month to join the stable of John McConnell.

A crowd of 11,265 watched the racing at Prestbury Park today.