Now Ben bolts up in maiden

Colman Sweeney received the ideal boost ahead of partnering Salsify in the Cheltenham Foxhunters in a little under two weeks time by steering Garrett Ahern’s newcomer Now Ben to a hugely-impressive success in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at yesterday’s West Waterford Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Lismore.

On a bitterly cold afternoon, Massinis Adventure took the 13 runners along until challenged by the uneasy favourite Amergin with three fences remaining. Some four horses still held prospects two out until Now Ben (6/1) stormed into the lead on the ascent from this penultimate obstacle. Massinis Adventure was three lengths adrift in second spot and making no impression on the winning son of Beneficial when falling at the final fence and his demise enabled Amergin to secure the runner-up spot, seven lengths adrift.

“This is a proper horse that we bought at last year’s Goffs Land Rover sale. He holds an entry in the Land Rover bumper and that’s the route that we will probably go now,” reported Bartlemy-based Ahern of Now Ben, representing the five-member The Try Again Syndicate.