Nina in cheltenham winners enclosure
After the disappointment at Cheltenham of earlier this week, popular Meath jockey Nina Carberry had something to smile about this afternoon on the final day of the big National Hunt Festival when she won the Foxhunters.
On The Fringe was always well-placed in the three and a quarter mile event and forged into the lead and clear in the closing stages to land the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup.
The JP McManus-owned 10-yeart-old had plenty to spare with a 17-length margin from Following Dreams and third-placed Paint The Clouds.
The start of the race was a bit untidy with the starter not happy with the approach taken by some of the jockeys and they were 'scolded' before the race eventually got underway.
'I'm so pleased for Enda and everyone, JT (McNamara) always believed in him and always said he would win this,' commented the Meath woman in a post-race interview trackside with Channel 4 (see video clip taken from Cahnnel 4 coverage of the race).
There another Meath success today when Drumree jockey Barry Geraghty won the opening race while Noel Meade's Road To Riches was a gallant third in the Gold Cup behind Coneygree, the first novice to win it since Captain Christy.