Compensation for trainer Nolan with sweet betting coup in feature race
PAUL NOLAN got some compensation at the Wexford races on Tuesday for just losing out in the Albert Bartlett Chase, and a €50,000 staff bonus, at Cheltenham the previous week when his Fine Theatre and Taghmon jockey Seán O’Keeffe scored in the day’s featured €40,000 Arctic Tack Stud Veterans’ Chase, landing a bit of a betting coup in the process.
Very unlike Cheltenham, there were no cheers ringing in the ears at a near-deserted Bettyville where racing went ahead without members of the public being allowed in, but this success was a welcome relief for the popular Davidstown trainer.
He has had a bit of ‘seconditis’ this season although the horses have been running pretty well, and this trend continued earlier in the meeting when he and O’Keeffe filled the runners-up spot in two races, with Sunday at Julia’s and My Club Colours.
But Fine Theatre, backed from 20/1 in the morning into 9/2, brought a smile back to the always jovial Nolan’s face as O’Keeffe cut out most of the running on him and he kept on well up the stiff finishing straight to win by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths.
Second was Scoir Mear (6/1) for Tom Mullins and Simon Torrens, with Spare Brakes (11/4f) third for Philip Enright and the Tyners from Cork.
Fine Theatre, a half-brother to former stable star, Joncol, seems to like the Wexford track as he won a handicap hurdle on the same St. Patrick’s Day card last year, but he had not shown much in three runs since and was pulled up on his previous outing at Fairyhouse on December 1.
Nolan commented after: ‘He was offered for sale and nobody would take him and he’s after winning over €23,000 there. He wasn’t going to get too many more chances.
‘He has off days and on days but if he’s let do his own thing and things go right for him he’s not too bad. He likes small fields as well.’
The trainer was called in to explain the improvement on his previous race. He said this was a lesser Grade event and the horse really appreciated the drop back in trip and being allowed an early lead. His explanation was noted.
In the previous M2 Contruction Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle, Nolan and O’Keeffe were the victims of another well-executed coup.
Their My Club Colours (10/3), for the Gaels Racing Club, went off favourite but he was not an easy ride and was headed at the last by Forrard Away, ridden by Mark Bolger for Jim Dreaper.
This one was having a first handicap outing after three nondescript runs in December and January where he trailed in 32 lengths, 65 lengths and 111 lengths behind.
Having lobbed around at the back, he began to move through the field at the top of the hill, took it up after the last and won like a decent horse by a length and a half.
He was 50/1 in the morning, opened on track at 40s, and was returned at 25/1.
Strangely enough, the stewards showed no interest in the remarkable improvement displayed in this case.
Third only half a length back was the staying-on Caddy Shack (20/1) for the Berry family from Blackwater. The two miles was probably a bit short for this one as he won at Wexford over three miles on heavy ground at the end of October.
The previous week Darver Star got a great third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham for Adamstown rider, Jonathan Moore, and trainer Gavin Cromwell.
It’s hard to believe that the horse ran in a two-mile hurdle at this St. Patrick’s Day meeting at Wexford last year, for horses that had never finished in the first three in any race.
He was third of eleven the next Wexford meeting a two and a half mile
When he returned onward and upward trot. Quite a big upward year, from third in W top hurdle race of the
Well, Moore and Cromwell Wexford last Tuesday trumps in the same race, man Solicitors Maiden well-backed Ujumpthelastyouwin.
He travelled well down between the last two, win by a length and a hardly having to move
eleven that day but at meeting in April he won handicap. in the autumn, it was with four wins on the upward turnaround in a exford to third in the the year at Cheltenham. Cromwell were back in uesday and they came up race, the Eoin O’Gorman Maiden Hurdle, with the Ujumpthelastyouwin. down the hill, took it up two, and kept on well to a quarter, with Moore move a muscle.
Second was Sunday at Julia’s (a drifting 5/2) for the Nolan/O’Keeffe combination. This one is owned by Philip Reynolds, son of former Taoiseach, Albert, and will win future races.
The meeting opened with the Wexford Mares’ Maiden Hurdle and produced a short-priced winner for the champion Cheltenham trainer and rider, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, with Getaway Gorgeous (4/7).
The margin of half a length was perhaps shorter than expected, from My Midnight (10/3) for Eoin O’Brien. Davy Russell was third on Gordon Elliott’s Flying Risk (10/3), in the Simon Munir colours often worn by Daryl Jacob. This was Russell’s only ride of the day.
The second featured race was the €26,000 Micheál O Murchadha Memorial Handicap Hurdle, to the memory of a man for many years associated with the Bettyville track and father of current Chairman and manager, Michael.
Winner was Zambezi Fix for Luke Dempsey and Gordon Elliott (8/1), three lengths clear of Rachael Blackmore on favourite Chalky White (2/1) for James Dullea. It’s a pity there were only five runners.
The Tomcoole Farm Novice Chase provided former top trainer Edward O’Grady with just his sixth winner of the season (since May last year) with the consistent Shakeytry (11/4) under Philip Enright.
This shows just how difficult it is to make the racing game pay in this age of training super-powers. Three parts of a length back was Conright Boy (9/4f), trying to follow up on a win at Navan just four days earlier.
The ISF EBF Auction bumper was won by Richie Deegan from Borris in Carlow, on an outsider, Song of Earth (14/1), for Margaret Mullins, making all with an adventurous ride. Second was well-backed South Terrace (3/1 from 13/2).
A disappointment for locals was Gordon Elliott debutant and drifting favourite, Anything is Likely (11/4), ridden by Jamie Codd. He was in contention up to the finishing straight but did not seem to get home and finished fifth.
The next meeting in Wexford is scheduled for Friday, April 3, but that remains in the laps of Covid-19.