IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MARES NOVICE HURDLE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL (GRADE 1)

BITOFAPUZZLE became the first English-trained horse to win a Grade 1 in Ireland this season as she turned out fresh from a fine effort at Cheltenham to claim the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final.

In its third running as a top level event, this contest attracted a competitive 14-runner field and the best form in the race belonged to Harry Fry’s Bitofapuzzle who was a close third behind Glens Melody at Cheltenham. The Noel Fehily-ridden daughter of Tamure headed the market at 3/1 and produced a performance to match as she ground her rivals into submission.

The seven-year-old took up a prominent position from the outset and was helping to force the pace a long way from home. Bitofapuzzle held the outright lead from the fourth last and she soon began to press on as the testing conditions – only half the field finished – began to take their toll.

Off the final bend the leader held a decent lead. Petite Parisienne did narrow the deficit somewhat from the second last and the leader was tiring in the closing stages but she still ran out a clear cut winner. At the line Bitofapuzzle had four and a quarter lengths to spare over Petite Parisienne whose Willie Mullins-trained stablemates, Lyrical Theatre and Uranna, filled the next two placings.

“The ground suited her very well as she’s a staying three-miler and Noel was very good on her. He ensured it was a strong gallop and pressed on a long way from him and she just ground them into submission,” commented Fry, who was registering his first Grade 1 victory.

“She’s as tough as nails and she keeps improving. I didn’t actually expect her to run as well as she did at Cheltenham as that ground was quicker than she would want but she ran really well and provided this wasn’t one race too many I thought that she had a very good chance. She’s earned herself a good break now and she will be back in the autumn when she will be going chasing.”