Bus arrives on time for Lynch and Casey

Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch enjoyed another big winner, his 25th of the season, at the weekend when he partnered the Peter Casey-trained Jack The Bus to victory in the featured Foxrock handicap chase, a grade C event, at Navan on Sunday. Despite the handicap of top weight, the 12-year-old was sent off as the 7/2 second favourite and duly obliged by three lengths from 12/1 chance Four Chimneys. The Barry Geraghty-partnered 11/4 favourite Kakagh ran out approaching the fifth fence. Jack The Bus was winning his third race at Navan and sixth in total which included a novice hurdle victory in 2008 over last year's Aintree Grand National runner-up Oscar Time. His last success, victory in the 2010 Troytown Chase was followed by almost 12 months off the track. The Casey-trained horse only returned to the track at Navan last November in the Troytown and was also scheduled to run at Leopardstown after Christmas, but was subsequently withdrawn due to the ground. Casey was handed a €1,900 fine for withdrawing Jack The Bus late from that race and a subsequent appeal by the trainer was unsuccessful. However, after last Sunday's victory, the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park next week is a likely target. Noel Meade and Paul Carberry were also on the mark at Navan with Knockgraffon King in a maiden hurdle. Tony Martin was in the winners' enclosure with Oscar Dan Dan which is now owned by his mother, Marie, and won a beginners chase. Previously trained by Tom Mullins, Oscar Dan Dan was purchased by Martin for £42,000 at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, horses-in-training sale last year. Meade was on the mark at Punchestown on Saturday when Davy Russell partnered his 80th winner of the season with Ipsos Du Berlais in a maiden hurdle. An entry at Cheltenham is a possibility in the three-mile novice hurdle. Sumerhill jockey Robbie Power partnered the Paul Nolan-trained Carloswayback to victory in a beginners chase at the Kildare track. Meade and Carberry maintained the good strike-rate at Fairyhouse last week when Mickelson won a maiden hurdle after adopting front-running tactics. Johnny Murtagh managed another winner at Dundalk last Friday night ahead of a stint in Dubai. The Bohermeen man was first past the post on the Edward Lynam-trained Aragorn Rouge in a claiming maiden. There was good news for the recaing industry with the release of the 2011 Horse Racing Ireland statistics. The report shows growth in bloodstock sales (up 19 per cent), Tote betting (11 per cent) and racecourse attendances (up three per cent). Racecourse attendances were up by 40,000 at 1.24 million with the average attendance at 3,682, up from 3,586 in 2010. Tote betting was €51.1 million, up from €45.9 million, with most of the increase generated by international co-mingling deals. The average number of horses in training fell from 5,769 to 5,030, the lowest since 2001. Bookmakers' betting on-course fell from €107.4 million to €97.5million and prizemoney fell from €46.0 million to €44.4 million, its lowest level since 2002. "The 2011 figures contain some welcome news for an industry which has endured heavy cutbacks and difficult trading conditions in recent years. The growth in racecourse attendance is particularly welcome," said HRI CEO Brian Kavanagh. "The Government's recently announced plans, to extend the betting duty regime to remote betting and exchanges and to carry out a review of the industry, offer the prospect of a secure funding mechanism for racing and we look forward to working with the Minister and his Department on this task," added Kavanagh.