Double delight for Rothwell

Philip Rothwell enjoyed an excellent afternoon at a very wet Down Royal yesterday, with Mark Me Up’s triumph in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase initiating a 53-1 double on the afternoon for the trainer.

Mark Me Up was a 5-1 shot for the most valuable prize of the afternoon and stuck on well in the hands of Andrew Ring to score by a length and three-quarters from stable companion Popaflora.

Rothwell said: “He won off a similar mark last year. I fancied him a bit at Naas the last day but the hill seemed to catch him out a bit. We said we’d come back here as he won over hurdles here before.