Beau Best in close call

Sher Beau got up in the last stride to pip Kill Devil Hill in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Festival Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse today.

Kill Devil Hill, trained by Paul Nolan, looked like landing the Grade Two event when he jumped the last in the lead.

But he was all out under a hard drive from John Cullen on the run-in and could not hold Sher Beau’s late surge under David Casey.

The 5-1 chance, trained by Philip Fenton, won by a short head, with Willie Mullins’ Homer Wells two lengths away in third.

The latter’s stablemate Our Ben, who had finished third to No Refuge in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, was a disappointing 2-1 favourite, finishing sixth of the seven runners.

Fenton, celebrating his biggest success, said: “It’s doubtful he’ll run at Punchestown. It may be November before he reappears and he will definitely go chasing next season.”