Walsh steers Savitha to win

Savitha has been brought with a perfectly-timed challenge by Ruby Walsh to run out a comfortable winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Paul Nolan’s charge has failed to get her head in front since October 2007 but was ridden with supreme confidence by the Irish champion jockey.

Walsh had still not moved a muscle approaching the final flight and went away on the run-in to score by a length and a quarter from Romarca.

Nolan said of the 4-1 second favourite: “She was stopping coming towards the line but, thankfully, she’s done the business.

“She’s been very unlucky and we will see where we go from here.”