Tipperary Racing Scene
Nathan Crosse brought his season’s tally to seventeen winners when partnering Downforce to the narrowest of successes at the final meeting of the year at the Curragh on Wednesday.
Owned and trained by Willie McCreery, the 14/1 chance battled back to pip the Martin Hassett-trained Secret Magician by a nose in the six-furlong handicap.
Aidan O'Brien took the ten-furlong fillies’ maiden with Champagne which scored a far easier success under Seamie Heffernan. She led inside the final furlong and pulled clear to score by three and three-parts of a length from the Joseph O'Brien-trained favourite River Rain.
The Denis Hogan-trained Henning gave Daniel King a winner over the jumps 24 hours after he was on the mark at the Curragh when taking the opening mares’ maiden hurdle at Clonmel on Thursday.
Owned and bred by Robert Hennelly, the five-year-old got the better of a protracted battle with the Tom Cooper-trained joint-favourite Sainte Dona to win by a neck to give the Cork jockey his 21st career success and his third winner over hurdles.
Trainer Andy Slattery and Cian Quirke enjoyed a clearcut success with Whosgotyanow in the mares’ chase. The Dr Ronan Tynan-owned six-year-old made a bad mistake at the third-last fence but it hardly mattered as she easily brushed aside the Henry de Bromhead-trained favourite Magic Daze by eight lengths.
Ben Coen has enjoyed his best season by virtue of winners ridden and he reached the 50-winner mark when partnering the Edward Lynam-trained Rough Diamond to land the six-furlong handicap at Dundalk on Friday.
The Fethard jockey had an easy time of things on the joint-favourite which skipped a few lengths clear early inside the final furlong to win by three and a quarter lengths from the Ado McGuinness-trained Dream Today.
Daniel King and Denis Hogan were winners again as Ransom took the first of the eight-furlong handicaps in good style. The Raymond McMahon-owned five-year-old raced from a wide stall but he made light of that as he raced clear early inside the final furlong to beat the Jessica Harrington-trained My Minervina by two and a quarter lengths.
Daniel King added to winners at the Curragh on Wednesday, Clonmel and at Dundalk on Friday when partnering Denis Hogan’s Ballyadam Destiny to take the two-mile six-furlong handicap at Galway on Saturday. A 20/1 chance, he made all the running on the eight-year-old to win by four and a half lengths from the Des McDonogh-trained Moving Water in the colours of owner William Horgan.
Henry de Bromhead sent out a thoroughly promising winner of the opening maiden hurdle at Wexford on Sunday where Inthepocket scored a comfortable six-length success under Rachael Blackmore. A strong favourite, the JP McManus-owned five-year-old led approaching the second last hurdle and came home a good winner from the Colm Murphy-trained Transmission.
Upcoming meetings
Dundalk – Wednesday, November 2 (First Race 2pm) Thurles – Thursday, November 3 (First Race 1.05pm) Down Royal – Friday, November 4 (First Race 12.20pm) Dundalk – Friday, November 4 (First Race 5.30pm) Down Royal – Saturday, November 5 (First Race 12.48pm) Naas – Sunday, November 6 (First Race 12.10pm) Cork – Sunday, November 6 (First Race 12.58pm)