BROTHERS John and Martin Burke from pulled off a Christmas miracle at Thurles on Sunday with 200/1 winner Killahara Castle.

Trainer John Burke, from Holycross, Thurles in Co Tipperary, was represented in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle with the outsider of the six runners.

Ridden by Martin Burke, she outbattled the 8/13 favourite True Self, traine dby Willie Mullins, to win by five lengths.

It was Killahara Castle's first win in 21 starts. Martin Burke told the press afterwards: "We were just hoping for a bit of blacktype and stuck her in hoping it would break up a bit better than what it did, but once she was in, we said we might as well run her.

"She has rakes of ability, but it's all in her head, if we could get it out. They went a good gallop and they just came back and she stayed galloping. The smaller field suited her as well, as she is usually really keen but settled lovely today and everything went right."

He added: "We have four horses for the track and 14 altogether between breakers. I'm in with John every evening and ride work for Tim Doyle. That's my biggest win and first listed win."

Killahara Castle is the first horse to win at 200/1 in Ireland this century, while the last to score at those odds in Britain was Dandy Flame at Wolverhampton in July 2016.

The longest-priced winner ever in Britain was 250/1 shot Equinoctial at Kelso in November 1990.

Click here to read all about trainer John Burke

Also at Thurles on Sunday the colours of owner J.P. McManus were carried to victory by Fitzhenry (11/8 favourite) in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.

Trained by Paul Nolan, the five-year-old got the better of Routes Choice by three-quarters of a length under Donal McInerney.

"We'll look for something over a longer trip as he definitely wants three miles on the basis of that. We'll keep him handicapping and he might pick up another one," said Nolan.

High School Days (9/2) completed a hat-trick in the Richard Brennan Fencing Services Handicap Hurdle. Henry de Bromhead's charge led before two out under Dylan Robinson and went to score by four and three-quarter lengths from Dorkas.

"We struggled to win a maiden hurdle with her during the summer and we just changed tactics with her and she seems to be loving it. Dylan was great on her," said de Bromhead.

"Looking at that, we'd be hoping to get black type with her, she is starting to get up the ranks now and she is only a four-year-old. She'd be some mare over a fence as she's big and scopey."

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