Pierce Molony fondly remembered at Thurles

Thurles staged its final meeting of the season on Saturday where the centrepiece was the listed two mile and two Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase, which commemorated the memory of a man who gave so much to the racing public before being called prematurely upstairs to the grandstand in the sky.

For four decades or so, Pierce was the hub around which Thurles not only survived as a privately owned racecourse but prospered and the large attendance in their own way paid a fitting tribute, not only to him but to his wife and family, who have kept the show on the road and produced the track in impeccable condition.

Although only four faced the starter for the feature, it was an intriguing contest with the outsider of the quartet Cubomania claiming the spoils. Jetz from the Jessie Harrington stable started favourite and set out to make the running but not for the first time his jumping let him down. The distress signals were out leaving the back straight where Cubomania and the locally trained Benruben began to draw away. Both were a shade untidy at the second last, however, the latter looked to have things in hand rising to the final fence but failed the get his landing gear down in time and came a cropper. This left Cubomania in splendid isolation and rider Davy Russell allowed him coast home to land the spoils by 22 lengths from Jetz with a further 52 lengths back to the third finisher Duca De Thaix.

There is no doubt but Benruben was an unlucky loser but on the other hand fences are there to be jumped and in this respect he failed the test. According to the winning rider, Cubomania has improved out of all recognition this term and the story is far from finished.

 

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