Favourite supporters had some anxious moments in the Rathbarry & Glenview Stud novice hunter chase at Tipperary on Thursday evening, as Its On The Line lived up to his name by securing a last-gasp victory.
Anchored towards the rear of the field by Charlie Mullins who had secured his first win over fences aboard the Presenting gelding at Cork last month, the pair only sat in fourth coming away from the penultimate fence.
The experienced Mikey O’Connor had been able to get first run aboard his own Nice To Meet and tried to make the best of his way home aboard the recent INHSC Winners Final runner-up.
He still looked to hold the upper hand jumping the final fence, however it was only once hitting the run-in that Emmet Mullins’ charge reached top gear and steadily began to reel in Nice To Meet.
As the line approached the 11/4 favourite burst through to lead on the line and record back-to-back successes in the hunter chase division, as he denied Nice To Meet by half-a-length with the mare Ifeoinly six lengths back in third whilst there was a further three and a half lengths to last week’s Bishopscourt Cup victor Jezarus.
“He got in close to the last, he came up in the air on me, but he kept going and battled on,” the winning rider said.
“It is great that Emmet has given me the opportunity, I won the [JT McNamara QR] series on this horse for him last time so it’s great.”
The victory was a second for Its On The Line since being purchased for £8,000 at the ThoroughBid March Sale.
