Daughter of Westerner Digs Deep For Grade 3 Success

Timeforwest (7m Westerner - Shang A Lang, by Commander Collins) held off hot favourite Killultagh Vic to land the Grade 3 Betway Chase at Cork on Easter Sunday.

Listed-placed since joining the Peter Fahey team last autumn, she had stamina in her favour on her latest start over three miles and was third in the betting on the off. Held up towards the back of the field by Donagh Meyler, she took closer order to chase the leader and favourite from five out. On terms at the third last fence, she soon led and went clear approaching the final fence, from which she rallied to hold off a late resurgence by the favourite to win by half a length, with a further eight and a half lengths back to the third horse.

Her winning trainer afterwards revealed that Timeforwest had been scanned in foal to Getaway on Friday, adding, “She's a lovely filly and if she's alright she will go to a mares chase on the Thursday at Punchestown. She can race until Galway.”

Owned by the Sport Racing club, Timeforwest was bred by Margaret Mullins and the late Peter Magnier. Her mating was perhaps influenced by her half-brother Downtown Getaway (Getaway), who sold for £350,000 after winning his point-to-point by 12 lengths for Mullins.

Timeforwest was completing a double on the card for Westerner, with the Mouse Morris-trained Beyond The Law (7g Westerner - Thegoodwans Sister, by Executive Perk) having won the earlier Beginners Chase in the colours of Ann and Alan Potts Limited.

The victory added to two wins over hurdles and an impressive point-to-point success, the latter coming when trained by Ger Hourigan. Bred by Larry Mealiffe, Beyond The Law is out of a half-sister to the top-class mare Cailin Alainn.