O'Dwyer signs off in style

Conor O'Dwyer signed off his professional career with a win at Fairyhouse as he guided the aptly named Mister Top Notch (3-1) …

Conor O'Dwyer signed off his professional career with a win at Fairyhouse as he guided the aptly named Mister Top Notch (3-1) to victory in the Betchronicle On Course Hurdle in Fairyhouse.

O'Dwyer and his mount won by seven lengths from Boulavogue - also sent off at 3-1. Charlie Yardbird (10-1) finished in third ahead of Publican.

One of a select band of jockeys to have ridden winners of the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, O'Dwyer announced a while ago he was to call time on his career.

It was an appropriate way to end a glittering time in the saddle for O'Dwyer on Davy Fitzgerald's nine-year-old, who found the return to hurdling no trouble whatsoever.

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Yet again, Robin Du Bois was disappointing for Tony Martin.

O'Dwyer will now be solely given to his new training career.

"I'm 42 next month and I've been riding for 26 years," he said after the race. "I had said I would retire if I rode a winner at Cheltenham, but that plan didn't work out.

"When Davy Fitzgerald rang me to ride Mister Top Notch today I'd decided that was going to be it - win, lose or draw.

"I felt the time had come to be fair to my owners and I've been lucky to get by without any serious injuries."

In the betchronicle.com Hurdle Willie Mullins' Shakervilz defied his novice status to win under  Ruby Walsh.

Back To Bid led the field into the straight but the challengers were mounting up with Shakervilz, Fond Of A Drop and Hi Cloy all looking menacing.

Walsh grabbed the bull by the horns and was first to make a move on the 2-1 favourite and despite Hi Cloy challenging over the final two flights, the five-year-old just had to be kept up to his work to win by five lengths.

Fond Of A Drop claimed third with Sonnyanjoe fourth.

The runner-up Hi Cloy ran a fine race in what was essentially his trial for the Grand National and was left unchanged at 50-1 for that race by William Hill. Cashmans gave the winner a 50-1 quote for the 2009 World Hurdle.

In the first race of the day, Tom Hogan's Kalderon got back to winning ways in a match with Earth Magic for the Betchronicle Private Client Telebet Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Only the two went to post for the Grade Three event with nearly €30,000 to the winner, but it was the 11-10 outsider of the pair who prevailed.

Earth Magic made the running for Tom Doyle but Kalderon and David Casey always looked to be going the better and sprinted clear for a two-and-a-half-length success.