Nolan’s dream day
a neck was Officers Mess (7/1), ridden by Ricky Doyle for former Wexford Cheltenham riding hero, Conor O’Dwyer.
He had just a neck to spare over Lady Mangan, owned by Courtown Peugeot dealer, Pat Doyle, trained by Ger Murphy at Ballygarrett and ridden by seven-pound claimer, Conor Murphy (Ramsgrange). This was probably the horse’s best run since winning a point-to-point at Tinahely last January.
The Beginners’ Chase over two miles was won by Fintara (3/1), trained by Jessica Harrington, and the only Wexford link was with the jockey, Robbie Power, son of former showjumping star Con, from Fethard, and Margaret Latta, Enniscorthy.
The Bolands Mercedes Benz handicap chase provided the easiest winner of the day in Fergiethelegend (7/1), which cruised home by eleven lengths, ridden by Cathal Landers for John Carr from Maynooth. Mosie McCabe’s (Adamstown) Asitsohappens (16/1) had his best run for a while to be third under Jonathan Moore.
Paul Nolan had shown his horses to be in good form at Cork racecourse (Mallow) the evening before when Karl Sexton rode his Rooster Byron to a comfortable third success in a row in a €22,000 two-mile four handicap hurdle, justifying 5/2 favouritism. Nolan will be giving him a break now and hopes he can become a nice staying chaser next season.
He also had seconds with Baboin (20/1) in a maiden hurdle, and Quamino (7/2) in a novice hurdle, both ridden by Bryan Cooper.
Nolan and Cooper were the undoubted stars at Wexford on a Saturday afternoon that provided some good racing and exciting finishes. Here’s hoping for more of the same when action returns to Bettyville on Wednesday evening, May 23.