RACING REPORT FROM FAIRYHOUSE: AFTER A pair of trebles on the first two days, Ruby Walsh wound up Fairyhouse's Easter festival with "only" one victory yesterday but Oscar Dan Dan's Grade Two success was a vintage effort by the champion jockey.

At the halfway stage in the Brady Car Sales Novice Hurdle, Oscar Dan Dan’s trainer Tom Mullins had resigned himself to the horse being pulled up as he became detached from the bulk of the field and looked to be struggling.

Up front Clan Tara and the favourite, Roberto Goldback, were slugging it out before the straight but both ended up playing second fiddle to Caim Hill who swept past the pair of them on the run to the second last.

The Cheltenham festival winning amateur jockey Brian O’Connell looked to have timed his challenge perfectly but Walsh’s bet that the pace of the race had been too hot came up trumps.

Oscar Dan Dan started to stay on past his rivals and disputed at the last before keeping on well enough to beat Caim Hill by almost two lengths for an unlikely victory.

“I think we should nearly give half the prizemoney to Ruby. He was brilliant,” Mullins said afterwards.

“I actually thought he was going to pull him up but Ruby was obviously getting a better feel than it looked.”

He added: “Ruby thought they were going very fast and that he would get into it eventually. Fair play to him; it was a fantastic ride.

“I knew we had the horse right for this and I’m thrilled he has won because his last race at Thurles threw a spanner in the works a bit. If he’s okay we will take a look at Punchestown. Ideally he needs further than today.”

The boot was on the other foot for Walsh, though, in the €90,000 Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle as he looked a likely winner at the second last on board Sesenta.

The 4 to 1 joint favourite led after the last as well but couldn’t hold a late challenge by the 20 to 1 Singspiel gelding Fisher Bridge who shot past him and also held the even later challenge of his 12 to 1 stable companion Silverhand to score by a neck, with Sesenta ultimately only third.

It was a perfect one-two for Noel Meade who very nearly hadn’t run Fisher Bridge.

“I only put him in two minutes before the time. I was a bit disappointed with him here on Sunday and when I asked Barry (Geraghty) if I should run him today he said he needed further. But I thought there would be a good pace and maybe finishing seven lengths off Kempes wasn’t too bad,” said Meade who had also scored earlier with The Fist Of God in the Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle.

“I always thought he was decent and we could look at the Galway Hurdle for him in time. Silverhand could go to Punchestown. He was getting there with every stride,” he added.

Favourite backers got a respite in the Tattersalls Dan Moore Chase with Perce Rock emerging best but Walsh was also heavily involved here finishing an unlucky third on Reisk Superman.

The 15 to 2 shot came to join Perce Rock at the last but a bad mistake sent his jockey out the side door, losing his irons in the process.

“Our horse made his customary mistake or two but he jumped the last three well when he had to,” said Tommy Stack’s son and assistant, Fozzy.

“If he can get his toe in a bit Perce Rock will go to Punchestown.”

Hollow Ranger, who cost trainer Philip Rothwell just €600, sprang a 25 to 1 surprise in the two mile handicap chase where his ability to battle again came to his aid in a gutsy defeat of Wheels Up.

“Last year he got kicked in the head during a race in Ballinrobe and he had to have his whole face reconstructed.

“His eye was actually found down his sinuses,” said Rothwell who was saddling his 30th winner of the season. “This is the first time he has had his ground so we chucked him in off a low mark and hoped.”

Jessica Harrington’s daughter Kate rode her third winner on Fionn Tra in the bumper, emerging best from a slowly run race where the favourite Desert Dual looked an unlucky third.

“I’m thrilled with that. She kept her cool in what was her first ride for Joe (O’Flaherty.) I’m delighted for him too as he has waited almost a year for this horse who did a knee,” the trainer said.

Mourne Rambler secured an easy win for the Tony Martin-Robbie Colgan team in the two mile and six furlong handicap hurdle.

Yesterday’s Fairyhouse attendance of 6,038 was slightly up on the corresponding figure last year. There was one winner of the jackpot who took home €44,461.