Favourites fail to fire at Thurles

With a Grade 3 Hurdle as its centrepiece, Thurles staged a competitive card on Thursday last, however, favourite backers suffered a torrid time with only one market choice visiting the winners enclosure.

The Grade3 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle commemorated the memory of a man who was well known in the cattle business and also avid race-goer. Only six went to post and those who plunged on the Willie Mullins trained Harrie knew their fate well before the finish as he crashed out with over a circuit to race.

Victory went to Go Another One in the hands of Robbie Power to give trainer John McConnell his biggest success to date. A dual bumper winner as a five-year-old, the Stowaway gelding has been ultra consistent this season, winning three times and being placed second in four more.

Ruby Walsh elected to set the pace aboard Harrie until his exit where Dream Conti took over. The latter was done with early in the straight where Power was about to play his hand. Getting a clear run up the far side, he popped the question and had a willing partner in Go Another One who jumped the final hurdle in front and won going away by two and a quarter lengths from Notebook.

In his post race remarks, the winning trainer revealed that he was in two minds about running his charge right up to declaration time but things turned out well. The horse is in at Cheltenham and a decision on his participation will be made in the coming days.

 

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