'Delicate' Dead Right storms home to take tricky feature chase

The feature handicap chase looked a devilishly tough puzzle to solve beforehand and so it proved, as the outsider of the field Dead Right bounced back from a last-placed effort last time to mow down Neon Moon in an exciting finish. 

The form was there if you looked hard enough as Dead Right was considered good enough to contest the Plate at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, but he has also returned to the track after absences of 391, 317, 306 and 343 days throughout his career.

He looked booked for a minor role as Philip Armson and Neon Moon kicked clear off the home bend, but the leader began to lose momentum at the final fence and Danny McMenamin rousted his mount for a half-length success in first-time cheekpieces.

"He stuck his head down and it was only two runs ago he was a bit unlucky not to win at Market Rasen so thankfully he got there today," said his trainer Neil Mulholland.

"He's just quite delicate. Thankfully, he's got an engine and he comes together now and again. The McManus team were keen to come here and it was a good performance."

McMenamin was taking his record to three from seven for the trainer, and he added: "Danny's ridden for us in the past and he's started to come further down south a little bit so when he's available we'll use him."

Bray's day

Another horse to win after finishing last on his previous start was the mercurial River Bray, who sprung a 40-1 surprise in the 2m½f handicap hurdle.

The ten-year-old was beaten 51 lengths into last at Ffos Las but was in a considerably better mood here, responding gamely to an aggressive front-running ride from Alan Johns.

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