Princess Royal Challenge Cup Hunters’ Chase

FOR the fourth year in a row, the Emmet Mullins-trained Its On The Line finished second in the Hunter Chase, an unenviable record and yet a great testament to the horse - who has won big pots at Aintree and Punchestown - and his connections.

This time the villain of the piece was the well-backed Barton Snow (9/2), one of four runners in the race for Joe O’Shea, who trains near the track in Gloucestershire. The horse was previously trained at Ballycurragh Stud by Willie Murphy, who stands the sire, Snow Sky.

With leading British amateur Henry Crow on board, Barton Snow was clearly travelling better than Its On The Line (7/2 favourite) as the pair approached the final fence. A mistake at that obstacle by Barton Snow appeared to hand the initiative to the Irish runner but Barton Snow, a winner over two miles at this track last May, had more speed on the run-in and held on well to win by a neck.

The fancied Panda Boy finished fifth, having made most of the running, a place ahead of Con’s Roc, and last year’s winner Wonderwall was only seventh, having never threatened the leaders.

Henry Crow, whose grandmother Sheila Crow trainer Cappa Bleu to win this race in 2008, said: “I ride this horse up the gallops every day and I knew how good he was. All the credit has to go to Joe O’Shea. He has won the [Aintree] Fox Hunters three times now. He’s amazing.”