Racing: Cahervillahow ends losing run

RACING'S most celebrated drought ended at Punchestown yesterday when Cahervillahow won the Durkan Brothers International Chase, his first victory for three years, writes Richard Edmondson.

Mouse Morris's gelding, for many seasons Ireland's top staying chaser, has been handcuffed to misfortune since he last won, at Leopardstown in 1990.

Controversially disqualified when first past the post in the 1991 Whitbread Gold Cup, the nine-year-old also has a fistful of seconds to his name, including the void Grand National this year and, on his most recent journey to Britain, in the Hennessy Gold Cup last month.

Relief rather than delight was therefore the emotion felt yesterday by Morris, whose first movement was to draw his hand across his brow in the winner's enclosure. 'Nobody could begrudge him that,' he said.

With Norman Williamson taking over from Cahervillahow's Hennessy partner Adrian Maguire - who was on the runner-up, General Idea - the pair made much of the running and won by nine lengths. Four of the 11 runners failed to complete, including Gold Options, who unseated Mark Dwyer.

Cahervillahow will go to Leopardstown at Christmas for a race in which he may meet another famous underachiever, Carvill's Hill. He will be entered for the Gold Cup - and is 16-1 from 20-1 for Cheltenham with William Hill - but a more solid engagement is a return to Liverpool for the National.