Image © Healy Racing
Twelve months ago, Michael Griffin sent out Backmersackme to claim the Pegus Horse Feeds point-to-point bumper, and he was also closely associated with the 2024 victor Backmersackme, having sent out the chestnut to win a four-year-old maiden at Moig South in November.
Twelve months ago, Michael Griffin sent out Backmersackme to claim the Pegus Horse Feeds point-to-point bumper, and he was also closely associated with the 2024 victor Backmersackme, having sent out the chestnut to win a four-year-old maiden at Moig South in November.
A bid of £70,000 had secured him at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December sale following that maiden victory, which had come on his second career start, and he was duly sent off as the odds-on favourite on his first start since joining Emmet Mullins.
Patiently ridden by the five-pound claiming John Gleeson, the five-year-old made swift progress racing inside the final three furlongs, and once being shaken up to strike the front before entering into the final furlong, he swiftly put the race to bed to defeat Custom Taylor by three and three-quarter lengths.
Shadow Chaser kept on to take third, with Rock On Jet, who had chased the winner home at Moig South, finishing some 25 lengths adrift of him in fifth on their second encounter of the season.
“I thought we went a good gallop for tacky, tiring ground,” Gleeson said.
“He was green, but the further I was going, the more he was learning. I thought he hit the line well for tiring ground. It was a nice performance.”
Gleeson then doubled up in the mares equivalent as he was aboard Air Of Entitlement for Henry de Bromhead.
A Lingstown winner in December for Colin Bowe when carrying Brian Acheson’s own silks, the five-year-old powered clear of the Tyrella victor Ocean Brew to prevail by four and three quarter lengths with Marie Hardin’s Grainne A Chroi back in third.
