Johnny Ward reports from Leopardstown
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore's bid to make it a remarkable three Grade 1 victories so far at the Dublin Racing Festival ran aground when the shortest-priced horse of the two days, Aspire Tower, fell at the last in the Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle at a sun-kissed Leopardstown.
Blackmore sent the market leader straight to the front in a bid to scoop the first prize of €88,500 but he was challenged strongly by the Joseph O'Brien-trained Cerberus jumping the final flight, at which point Aspire Tower, who had jumped superbly, crashed out.
Cerberus looked to have matters under control but he then seemed to pull himself up in front, eventually not only losing first place to stablemate A Wave Of The Sea but also second to the staying-on Wolf Prince, trained by Gavin Cromwell.
"I thought I'd a chance coming to the last but Mark's horse pulled away at the last and I looked cooked," said triumphant rider Barry Geraghty. "However, Mark's horse pulled up. You can never write off any horse of Joseph's."
Backers of the winner were rewarded at odds of 12/1, with Aspire Tower sent off a remarkable 1/3 favourite.
Bookmakers cut A Wave Of The Sea into 14/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, having been 33/1.
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