Classy Lad on top at Punchestown

Trafford Lad earned a quote of 16-1 for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following an impressive Grade Three victory at Punchestown.

Bookmakers have cut Dusty Sheehy's six-year-old from 25s after he recovered from a mid-race mistake to land the A Space Cabins Florida Pearl Novice Chase by four lengths from Window Of Hope.

Trafford Lad stayed on well after taking it up two fences from home, with Siegemaster, the 9-10 favourite, finishing third after a bad blunder five from home.

Sheehy, whose charge is still unbeaten over fences, is now set to step up to Grade One company for the Bar-One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on November 30.

'Nothing went according to plan - they didn't go fast enough,' said Sheehy.

'The horse ran too free and ended up in front.

'The plan had been to hold him up until the last minute, but he won in the end.

'He'll next head for the Drinmore and he'll be a much-better horse in a truer-run race.'

Nina Carberry shrugged off a nasty fall at Cheltenham 24 hours earlier as she steered Drombeag to victory in the Event Power Risk Of Thunder Chase.

The Enda Bolger-trained 10-year-old cashed in on a bad last-fence mistake from stablemate Heads Onthe Ground, who was admittedly tiring, to score tidily.

Carberry suffered a bad eye injury at Prestbury Park and was praised by Bolger for her battling qualities.

Bolger said: 'She's something else. She suffered a bonecrusher of a fall and wasn't 100% - she was only fit to ride at 11am on Saturday morning.'

Of the race, Bolger added: 'I was a little disappointed with Heads Onthe Ground - he did not appear to see out the trip - but it was a great performance from Drombeag.

'He was running over the banks for the first time and was a great substitute to have in the race.'

Yield For No One lived up to his name as he came out best in a battle after the last to land the Irish Field 3-Y-O Hurdle.

Admiral Barry held a slight advantage at the final flight but was a little awkward at it and that gave Eoin Doyle's charge what proved to be a vital opening.

The runner-up did his best to rally once headed but was half a length adrift of the 3-1 favourite at the line.

A stewards' inquiry was called as the pair came close together on the run-in, but the placings remained unaltered.

Doyle said: 'We'll now aim him for the big three-year-old hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas and if all went well there we would probably have a look at the Triumph Hurdle.'