Jim’s battling win
Young O’Sullivan overcomes adversity
AT THE closing day of the Bellewstown Festival on Saturday, young Jim O’Sullivan from Enniscorthy overcame adversity to score his third win of the season on The Rite Article (backed from 22/1 in the morning into 9/1) for Jarlath Fahey from Kildare.
O’Sullivan was coming with his run on the inside when he was squeezed for room and dropped his whip two out, but he persevered and got through to lead and held on by half a length. This was a fine ride by the young Enniscorthy man. Second was J.J. Slevin on Theydon Park for his cousin, Joseph O’Brien.
Slevin had earlier bagged second place in the handicap hurdle for Noel Dooly (Davidstown) on Cantkidakidder (7/1) behind Steve Mahon’s gambled on Dancing Duke (9/4 from 15/2 earlier). Jonathan Moore had to be content with a couple of thirds on the card.
At Limerick on Sunday, Slevin finally got to the winner’s spot on Baily Moon (7/1) for Mouse Morris, cosily seeing off Paul Townend on Thanks for Tea in the €18,000 three-mile chase. This was his first winner for Mouse.
The Kiltrea, Caim, rider might have had a treble on the day. In the beginners’ chase he was nicely clear on Joseph O’Brien’s Valgor Du Ronceray (4/1jf), but a bad mistake at the last allowed Robbie Dunne to get up on the run to the line on Steve Mahon’s Cable (14/1).
Seán Flanagan was third on Colin Bowe’s Sharlanda (10/1).
Earlier, the Slevin/O’Brien combination was just pipped by a head in the rated two-mile hurdle on Lord Justice (13/2), behind Davy Russell on Gordon Elliott’s Knockmaole Boy (4/1jf).
There was a desperately close finish to the two-mile five handicap hurdle with Colin Bowe’s Pixie Lane (16/1 into 8) third just a neck and a head behind Double Speak (12/1) under Robbie Power for Dot Love and Coolmill (33/1) under Conor Maxwell.
Earlier in the week, Jim and Jackie Bolger won a Gowran Park handicap on Tuesday with Level of Intensity (7/1), ridden by Kevin Manning, and Manning scored on New Terms (9/4f) for Bolger and Godolphin a Fairyhouse on Wednesday night.
Aidan O’Brien had a couple of winners at Naas on Saturday in the hands of his son, Donncha, Seahenge in the six-furlong opener for two-year-olds at 6/1, and Miss Power (7/2) in the six-furlong sprint for older horses.
He sent three horses to the United States on Saturday night to contest the Belmont Park Oaks and Derby, but Wayne Lordan was out of the money.
In Britain, Pat McDonald got his week going with a win at Hamilton on Poetic Steps at a massive 20/1 for Mark Johnston in a six-furlong race for two-year-olds.
He had another on Friday at Sandown, winning a five-furlong sprint on Havana Grey (3/1) by a head and a nose for Karl Burke.
McDonald, originally from Monastery Avenue in Taghmon, is one of the hardest-working riders in Britain and on Saturday he had two mounts at Beverley in the afternoon and four that night at Nottingham, and all he had to show was one third placing, on Jive Lady at Nottingham.
He is in 13th place in the jockeys’ table with 52 winners.
Jonathan Moore spent a couple of days in Britain and had a ride at Stratford on Tuesday and Perth on Wednesday without any luck. Davy Russell was on board three for Gordon Elliott at the Scottish venue and had two winners and a third - not bad.