CONOR O'DWYER, who won last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup on Imperial Call, received a seven-day suspension at Fairyhouse yesterday. Luckily for O'Dwyer, who has ruled out any appeal, it is timed to end on the eve of this year's Festival, where, in addition to the big race, he has a number of other fancied rides.
O'Dwyer was suspended for making "insufficient effort" en the Tom Taaffe-trained Private Sector, who caught the eye of the stewards when finishing sixth in the Tolka River Maiden Hurdle.
In addition to O'Dwyer's suspension (March 4th-10th), Taaffe was fined £500 "for using the racecourse as a training ground" and his charge was banned from racing for 30 days.
Papillon gave Ted Walsh a second Grade Three success, seven days after his Triumph Hurdle hope, Commanche Court, took the Juvenile hurdle at Punchestown when winning the EBF Novice Handicap Chase final.
Although entered for the Royal Sun Alliance Chase at the Festival, Papillon is highly unlikely to travel, with Walsh preferring to wait for the Heineken Chase at Punchestown in April.
Jumping well for Norman Williamson, the well-supported 7 to 4 favourite had the race in safekeeping before the final fence and was eventually eased right down to beat Coolafinka by six lengths.
Walsh said: "He won it nicely and is obviously better going over a trip. In time I could see him becoming an Irish National horse."
Brian Bowens, who today begins a 28-day suspension imposed at Gowran Park last Saturday, where he was adjudged to have given Tryfirion a "injudicious ride", partnered the same horse to success in the Sutherland River Handicap Hurdle.
Tryfirion, trained by Bowens' father, Victor, did not go unbacked before readily beating Tarajan by a length and a half.
Barry Cash, Aidan O'Brien's well-regarded amateur rider, who fractured his right ankle when Idiot's Venture fell heavily at Naas on Saturday, missed the winning ride on outsider, Flashy Lad, in the Ballyduag Beginners Chase.
A winner of two point-to-points for trainer Tom Taaffe, Flashy Lad now heads for Cheltenham and the National Hunt Chase following a brave performance under Shane Broderick.
Another that will be entered for that four-mile event is Lancastrian Pride, also a point-to-point winner, who landed a gamble for the Willie Mullins stable when winning the St Margaret's Flat Race under Ruby Walsh.
Course specialist Opera Hat notched her eight victory over the course when taking the Q K Cold Stores Newcastle Chase at Naas on Saturday for the second successive year. Shaking off the attentions of Merry Gale before the second-last fence, the nine-year-old, under a confident ride by Anthony Powell, went on to win by four and a half lengths.
