25/1 shot Battle Axe defies handicapper

BATTLE AXE proved a 25/1 shocker in the featured Shamrock Handicap Chase on a day of surprises at Gowran Park yesterday.

And the nine-year-old, trained by John Lennon and strongly ridden by Sean Flanagan, defied the handicapper to land the two-mile handicap at the expense of Conna Castle and gambled-on Rock Street in an exciting tussle.

Battle Axe was raised a whopping 23lb by the handicapper following his recent third to Rock Street at Clonmel, but defied his new mark to give his Lennon the biggest success of his career.