TRAINER Stephen Thorne and jockey Jack Kearney plundered their first trebles, when the veteran Harry’s Bar (15/2) just shaded the verdict in the William Hill Proper Pricing Handicap.
The 10-year-old gelding brought up his 16th career success, when he kept on best to pip Collective Power by a nose at the end of six furlongs for Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Liam Ferguson. This gave Thorne the leading trainer title over the Winter Series on the Polytrack, by one, with 15 winners.
He said: “It has been a huge team effort to get an achievement like this. The biggest asset I had was bringing Stephen Mooney back from the UK with his partner Lisa. Stephen has been my assistant from day one.
“More than likely, we are going to retire this horse now. He will go out on a high. Stephen’s partner Lisa is gladly going to take him as a nice riding horse, so he has got a beautiful home ready-made for him. I want to do the right thing by him.”
Keep it rolling
Shamrock Thoroughbreds’ Hightimeyouwon got the Thorne and Kearney bandwagon rolling in the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Stadium Claiming Race.
The 5/6 favourite was up in trip to an extended mile and a quarter and was produced inside the two pole by Kearney. He proved a length and three-quarters too strong for Comfort Line in the final furlong.
Thorne said: “I didn’t think he would stay that trip in a handicap, but in that grade he is too good for them.
“There isn’t a claiming race programme that suits this horse now and is quite stiff in the handicap and is a nine-year-old so, if we get him back, we will give him a complete break and we might get him back in the summer months for a couple of races on the turf.”
The winner was the subject of a friendly claim by connections.
Breakthrough
Pink Oxalis grabbed her breakthrough success for Thorne in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap over a mile.
Kearney raced her in rear of mid-division and the Caravaggio filly made progress entering the straight. She found for pressure and arrived into the lead inside the final furlong. The 6/1 shot went on by two and a half lengths for owner Essam S.
The trainer said: “These are Saudi Arabian clients and these were one of my first clients to ring me up to say they wanted to send me a horse. A relatively low-grade, cheap type of horse, so I am very happy that she has won.”
SEAN Davis secured his first winner as a trainer, when gambled-on Porsche Lad rewarded favourite-backers in the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap over the extended 10 furlongs.
Rory Cleary always had the leader Uberrima Fides in his sights and pushed him into the lead approaching the final furlong.
The four-year-old gelding then saw it out well by a length and a half at 9/4 for owner David Fowler.
Cleary said: “Great to get that first winner for Sean, he’s a hard worker and I would have ridden against him. I’m a good friend of his. He’s over in England today, so I’m glad he put me up on him.
“They liked him a lot last year and things kind of just went a bit wrong with him. He just took his time to mature and come into things.”
Just over two hours later, Davis rode his own Venetian (13/8 favourite) to victory in the Free Bets With BetUK Bet Club Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Red letter day
It was also a significant day for jockey Adam Browne-Souza, who partnered his first winner on Crystal Luna (10/1) for Danny Murphy in the Happy St Patrick’s Weekend Handicap.
From fourth halfway, the young jockey sent his charge to lead from over a furlong from home and they were able to hold Hastily by three-quarters of a length.
Browne-Souza, in Arvin Savage and Mrs John Murphy’s colours, said: “I’m 16 and from Tipperary. I’m riding out for Andy Slattery and am apprenticed there now as I’ve left school.
“Danny rang me Monday evening and told me he would be interested in booking me. I’m very grateful for it. She gave me a lovely ride, she carried me the whole way through the race.”
THE 110-rated Arizona Blaze put in an impressive reappearance effort in the Horse Racing Every Friday Until 11th April Race for in-form Adrian Murray, Amo Racing Limited and Giselle De Aguiar to open up a potential run in a Guineas trial.
The 4/9 favourite soon led for David Egan and readily drew clear in the final furlong to open up by four and a half lengths.
Murray said: “We will probably run over seven (furlongs) the next day in a Guineas Trial, just to see. He’s a very fast horse. If he doesn’t stay, he will win lots of sprints.”
Gracesolution just got the better of Pearl Jewel after a closing-stages battle in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap. A photo ensued with Gracesolution getting the verdict by a nose at 6/1 for Ross O’Sullivan and owner Patrick McGuill.
Jockey Donagh O’Connor said: “I thought I was up, I thought maybe my head was up, as she (Pearl Jewel) was going down. Thankfully, we were on the right side of it.”
Sunriseontheboyne gave owner/trainer Michael Mulvany and Wesley Joyce a winner in the Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Handicap.
He was never far from the pace and disputed the lead inside the final two furlongs. Joyce drove him on a furlong out and they came in by a length at 13/2.
“He came on from the last run. He’s going to keep improving. He’s probably going to be better the further he goes,” the jockey said.