Tipperary Racing Scene

Trainer Andy Slattery landed a narrow success with the Cian Horgan-ridden Tarsus at Dundalk on Wednesday.

It was hardly the start to the fixture that punters would have hoped for as the 66/1 chance out battled Gavin Cromwell’s Sorrento Sky to win by a head, with the Pat Murphy-trained favourite Mint Man only eighth of the fourteen runners.

A neck was the winning margin as the Willie Browne-trained Port Augusta took the median auction race for two-year-olds over the same distance. A winner, by an identical margin, over six furlongs last month, the Tracey Kearney-owned chance followed up as he got the better of Jane Chapple-Hyam’s English challenger Finbar Furey, under Seamie Heffernan. Ger Lyons’ favourite Serious Notions could only manage fourth place.

Seamus O’Donnell took the opening division of the six-furlong handicap with Theriverrunsdeep which was ridden by Leigh Roche. In the Ballinalard trainer’s own colours, the seven-year-old held the Leanne Breen-trained James Henry by a head to land her fourth course success and her first in almost exactly two years.

Rachael Blackmore was in the saddle as the Henry de Bromhead-trained Slade Steel won the Grade 2 Tote Navan Novice Hurdle at Navan on Saturday. The Robcour-owned five-year-old battled well from the final hurdle to beat the Willie Mullins-trained Lecky Watson by half a length. Gordon Elliott’s favourite Stellar Story was four and a half lengths further back in third place.

Upcoming Meetings

Dundalk – Wednesday, December 13 (First Race 3.15pm)

Naas – Thursday, December 14 (First Race 12 noon)

Dundalk – Friday, December 15 (First Race 5.15pm)

Fairyhouse – Saturday, December 16 (First Race 12 noon)

Navan – Sunday, December 17 (First Race 12.00pm)

Thurles – Sunday, December 17 (First Race 12.15pm)