Success for Hackett and Hogan at different venues

Ray Hackett and Denis Hogan flew successfully the North Tipperary flag at different venues last week.

Hackett saddled The Ballyboys to take the three mile 80-109 handicap hurdle at Cork while Hogan was on duty at Thurles for its first flat meeting in over twenty years and came away with a winner courtesy of Althib who landed the second division of the mile 45-65 handicap,

The Westerner gelding, the Ballyboys got Hackett off the mark in somewhat fortuitous circumstances when Naturally Blond unseated his rider at then final hurdle when looking all over a winner.

The latter attempted to make all the running with The Ballyboys settled in mid division. Hackett's charge attempted to join issue early in the straight but looked to fighting a losing battle when Naturally Blond made his exit leaving The Ballyboys to some home a three and three quarter length winner form Epsilom.

As the age old adage goes, obstacles are there to be jumped and as things turned out this was very much the case. In his post race remarks, Ray Hackett revealed that it had been a tough week as he lost that good horse Wee Tiger, who was going the his flag bearer during then winter months. This was devastating blow as horses like him do not come every day but unfortunately this is part of the racing game as I know only too well.

 

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