Lynch maintains form with another winner

Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch maintained his good form when he won again with the Jim Dreaper-trained Retrevethelegend, this time over hurdles at Punchestown last week. The grey 10-year-old won a handicap chase at Navan last December and was well-handicapped over hurdles and ran out an easy winner of the two-mile, six-furlong event ahead of the well-backed Tooman Lane which opened at 14/1 and was returned at 7/1. 'The last day was a classic case of a horse just not staying in a three-and-a-half-mile chase, he always does his best,' commented the trainer who will be finalising his plans for Notre Pere in the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the next few days. Noel Meade was also on the mark at the Kildare track when Realt Dubh got back to winning ways. Meade"s charge has run nine times, seven for the Castletown trainer, and has never finished outside the first two. However, there was a touch of luck about last week"s victory as Ruby Walsh and Otay Kawn were ready to tackle Meade"s charge when he landed awkwardly over the last and threw away his chance. 'Realt Dubh won"t be going to Cheltenham, but I think a lot of him, perhaps his best run was when he was second to Mikael D"Haguenet at Navan,' commented Meade. 'He may be better over a bit further and he should improve when he jumps fences. 'Paul Carberry felt he idled in front, but when the other horse came to him he went on again,' he added. On only his third outing for Gordon Elliott, Top Mark, a winner in England, stepped up a place on his Thurles effort from a week ago to justify favouritism in the Suir (Ladies) Handicap Hurdle. The top-weight was ridden by Yorkshire woman Jacqueline Coward and only had Wicklow Lad to beat from before the straight. 'The plan was to drop in, but Jacqueline used her head when he didn"t settle, she has plenty of experience and we had to take seven pounds off the weight,' stated Elliott. Kiltale trainer and Meath Chronicle flat racing columnist Ger Lyons was out of luck in the big racing festival at Dubai last Friday when both Fiery Lad and Dohasa were edged out in tight finishes under Johnny Murtagh. However, Murtagh was in the winners" enclosure when he won with 33/1 chance My Central.