RACING: There was a huge upset as Liz Doyle's 50-1 shot Penny's Bill held off a strong challenge from favourite Psycho to land the €66,000 Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon. The seven-year-old would have been out of the handicap before the defection of top-weight Newmill but benefited greatly from the rule as 29 horses went to post.
There were plenty in with chances coming to the final flight but Sean Flanagan, who had been up with the pace all the way and led after the second-last, held off the late surge of the ante-post gamble.
Carthalawn ran well to claim third, with Splurge fourth and Tony McCoy's mount Dancing Tornado in fifth.
The winning trainer said: "That's by far my biggest win. I've been struggling with the health of the horses recently and had very few runners lately, but this horse ran well here at Christmas and I felt if he came on from that he'd be competitive.
"The weights going up after Newmill came out really helped us as we were 6lb out of the handicap.
"Sean rides out for me once a week. He won a maiden hurdle on the horse and knows him really well.
"I used to work for Pat Hughes, who won it twice, and it gives a great chance for a relatively ordinary horse to win a big pot."
Earlier in the day Schindlers Hunt relished the drop in class to run out a ready winner of the valuable Leopardstown Handicap Chase for Dessie Hughes and Paddy Flood.
Winner of the Irish Arkle in his youth, he has faced some stiff tasks of late against the likes of Big Zeb and Scotsirish.
Taking up the running at the sixth-last fence in the two-mile-five-furlong contest, the nine-year-old was never seriously challenged in the straight.
Finger Onthe Pulse was prominent throughout but the 7-4 favourite laboured close home as Kilcrea Castle stayed on to beat him for second, four lengths off the winner.
Schindlers Hunt was cut to 20-1 from 40s for the Ryanair Chase by Victor Chandler, while Hills go 16-1 from 33s.
Merchent Paddy made it two wins in the space of seven days as he ran out a smooth victor in the Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase.
His Naas win had come in handicap company and he handled the step up in class to Grade Two level with some style.
Given a confident ride by Davy Russell, the Charles Byrnes-trained eight-year-old was travelling powerfully on the turn for home and the writing was on the wall for long-time leader Beroni.
Still on the bridle jumping the last, the 2-1 chance scooted clear to account for Bohemian Lass by a comfortable 11 lengths.
William Hill and Victor Chandler reacted with quotes of 33-1 for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Russell said: "Heavy ground was a worry last week and my confidence grew when I got here and found the ground on the good side. That helped my horse and he has plenty of experience.
"Charles was happy enough to go for this and the better ground suited us. He jumped super and was very quick at his fences.
"We're still learning about the horse - three miles on heavy ground he doesn't get. He shows enough pace and maybe if he relaxed on better ground he could be competitive over three miles, but two-five or six could be his trip.
"It wasn't the best of Grade Twos, so we will see what mark he gets and if he can win another handicap."
In the opening race an enterprising ride from Robbie Dunne nearly paid off on Coscorrig only for Majestic Concorde (7-2) to sweep by close home to win the Leopardstown Annual Badge Beginners Chase.
Dunne held a 20-length advantage on the mare for most part of the race, but amateur jockey Robbie McNamara refused to panic on Dermot Weld's smart performer.
Racing over fences for the first time, the six-year-old took it up after the final fence before running out a six-length winner.
Majestic Concorde has won on the level, over hurdles and now over fences.
Weld said: "He's really a good-ground horse and we have no definite plans at the moment for him. It's nice for him to win first time over fences and to see him do it well.
"Ted Walsh kindly gave me another horse to train with him as I don't have another chaser, and Ted was very happy with him.
"A couple of mine were not quite right over Christmas so we waited with him and it was the right decision."
Today's Results
12.45 Leopardstown Annual Badge Beginners Chase
1st Majestic Concorde (IRE) 7/2
2nd Coscorrig (IRE) 7/2
3rd Jaamid (GB) 11/4F
4th Knock On The Head (IRE) 12/1
1.15 Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase
1st Merchent Paddy (IRE) 2/1
2nd Bohemian Lass (IRE) 11/4
3rd Beroni (IRE) 20/1
4th Financial Reward (IRE) 15/8F
1.45 Leopardstown Handicap Chase
1st Schindlers Hunt (IRE) 16/1
2nd Kilcrea Castle (IRE) 11/2
3rd Finger Onthe Pulse (IRE) 7/4F
4th Vic Venturi (IRE) 6/1
2.20 Pierse Hurdle
1st Penny's Bill (IRE) 50/1
2nd Psycho (IRE) 11/2F
3rd Carthalawn (IRE) 20/1
4th Splurge (IRE) 14/1
2.55 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier)
1st P'tit Fute (FR) 12/1
2nd Kasimali (IRE) 9/2
3rd Badgerlaw (IRE) 16/1
4th A New Story (IRE) 20/1
3.25
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Handicap Hurdle
1st Mission Possible (IRE) 10/1
2nd Nocturnal Knight (GB) 12/1
3rd Fistoulig (FR) 5/2F
4th Mutadarek (GB) 14/1
3.55 Leopardstown Annual Seats (P-Am) Flat Race
1st Tornedo Shay (IRE) 14/1
2nd Elegant Concorde (IRE) 7/4F
3rd Whispering Hills (IRE) 8/1
4th Bunsen Burner (USA) 5/1