POWER PLAY

Robbie braves fog to hit Clonmel double

ROBBIE POWER took the riding honours in foggy Clonmel yesterday, registering a double in the Potts colours before the final two races (both chases) were abandoned due to deteriorating conditions.

Power landed the featured Munster Hurdle on the Mouse Morristrained 7/1 shot Beyond The Law, which followed-up a maiden win at Limerick by making all to slam oddson favourite Draconien by 22 lengths.

Morris has no firm plans for the son of Westerner but rates him “a chaser-in-the-making”.

The Power/potts double was completed when Moonshine Bay justified 2/1 favouritism in the Monroe Maiden Hurdle grinding out a workmanlike six-lengths victory over Giant Spirit.

The opening mares maiden hurdle produced an exciting finish as the Willie Mullins-trained Pietralunga, ridden by his nephew David) got up on the line to foil front-running Moonlight Escape by a short-head.

The meeting was staged in dense fog. And the John Ryan-trained Devine Star was deemed to be a runner in the opener, despite the fact she was fully two furlongs from the start (and out of the sight of the starter, in the fog) when the field was sent on its way.

The ‘winner alright’ was promptly announced, before full details of the incident became clear. The oversight was, clearly, due to human error. But it was bizarre that the 80/1 shot was not deemed a non-runner or withdrawn horse.

The matter was referred to the Stewards of the IHRB ( formerly the Turf Club).

Elsewhere, there’s action in Dundalk tonight. And Elishpour is a hopeful nap choice to defy top-weight in the two-mile

Marshes Shopping Centre

Handicap.

The Alan Flemingtrained eight-year-old boasts an impressive record on the polytrack – two wins and a second from three starts. And he might be capable of completing his hat-trick tonight, although 2lb worse off with Political Policy, which he beat by a head when they clashed over this course and distance last month.

Prior to his most recent success, Elishpour had prevailed over a mile and a half in November, when beating Saga Bolton.

With Billy Lee on board, Elishpour might confirm form with Political Policy and keep Gordon Elliott’s Tagietelle at bay.