RACING: The Cheltenham bumper hero of 2003, Liberman, saved the best for last as he turned an unpromising position into a narrow triumph in the day's feature, the Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle, at Tralee yesterday.

Hurdling with little conviction the former Martin Pipe inmate trailed the field after five out. But beginning his challenge early in the straight, the 4 to 1 joint-favourite showed fluency over the last two flights, staying on well on the run-in to mow down outsider Ela Marathona by a head close to home.

Elsewhere, a 98 to 1 double for Harry Rogers was the main story of the day with Kilmannin in the one-mile handicap and Rocking Annie taking the handicap chase by five lengths, breaking his maiden at the 16th attempt.