Wicklow (F) at Tinahely on Sunday 05th November 2017
Aidan Fitzgerald has started the new season with real purpose and he continued his winning run when sending out Our Dot’s Baby to land the Farrington Bloodstock - www.dermotfarrington.com & Woodenbridge Hotel five-and-six-year-old mares’ maiden. The daughter of Helisso, who was carrying the colours of her breeder/owner Ann O’Neill, stepped-up from her Dromahane fourth on debut to hold off the challenge of Tourgar Pure Gold by eight lengths for Richie Deegan. “More than anything I am delighted for Jim and Ann O’Neill. They have had horses with me for years. Richie (Deegan) thought that she would win turning in the first day, but she made a bad mistake at the third-last, so we fancied her today. She will go to the Cheltenham Sales”, reported the winning handler Aidan Fitzgerald.
The Colin Bowe-trained Rocco, provided his handler with his third success since the start of the new season when the son of Shantou took the Kavanagh Tarmac Limited & Mill House Veterinary four-year-old maiden. Ridden close to the leaders throughout by Barry O’Neill, Rocco produced a strong challenge at the penultimate fence when he took up the lead and went on to win by five lengths over Equus Flight. The Graham Morrow-owned and bred winner was gaining some compensation having exited at the second last fence at Curraghmore in April when still holding chances. “This is my first horse in training with Colin and I have a full-sister to Ballynagour in with him. Colin was the under bidder for him at the sales and I didn’t end up selling him so I got in touch with Colin”, commented the winning owner who is also sending his charge to this month’s Cheltenham sale.
One of the closest finishes of the day came in the Doran W O Toole Solicitors winners of two when the Paurick O’Connor-trained Sliabh Muire Lass held on by a neck over previous Tinahely winner Dino’s Benefit. Second to Knockraha Boss at Rathcannon in October, the daughter of Grandera had led from flag fall under Derek O’Connor and was forced to battle hard from the final fence to win her second race between the flags for the Three Dudes Syndicate. A delighted Paurick O’Connor stated after the race, “That is a great win to get for her owner Michael Brennan from Ballygar in Galway, as he is sick in hospital. She will go for a winners’ race next”.
Previous track winner Samanntom was denied his second win in two weeks at the Wicklow fixture when he lost out by a head to the Mark Fahey-trained Dantes King in the Pat Walsh, The Red Rider & Peaky Bennett open. The 12-year-old was recording his seventh point’s victory for Antoinette Kavanagh with his regular partner of Roderic Kavanagh on board. “He is very talented but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get it out of him on the racecourse to date. Mark (Fahey) is a neighbour of mine so we do him together. I’m at home full time on the stud now so he is leading yearlings, just keeping him mentally happy. He will go to Ballinaboola next Sunday because then I will be busy with foal sales”.
Cormac Doyle, who is the latest of the Doyle brothers to join the training ranks, sent out his first winner of the season when his six-year-old mare Talkoftheparish saw off Eagle Ridge by a neck in the Liam Mellon Construction Ltd six-year-old-and-upwards maiden for novice riders. Ridden by Luke Murphy, the Monbeg Syndicate-owned winner is out of a half-sister to Time for Rupert. “She is a nice mare. We really fancied her going to Inch last season but she refused to jump off and it turned out that she was in season. We’ll look for a winners’ race with her next”, reported the winning handlers brother Sean.
The successful duo of Jamie Codd and Denis Murphy teamed up to another winning victory when Upsettheodds ran out an easy four length winner ahead of Pelegrine Falcon in the Colliers Estate Agency five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden. The son of Oscar had finished fifth at Tinahely two weeks previous and was ridden prominently throughout by Codd. Winning handler, Denis Murphy reported after the race: “I fancied him to run well here the last day and he made a horrendous mistake going down the hill after a circuit and a half. I He is a laid back horse and will go the sales”.
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Star Performance: Rocco had too many gears for his rivals as he put the race to bed in a matter of strides early in the home straight.
