Model county treble at Thurles

RACING BEHIND closed doors is to continue for the time being after a review following the first five meetings that culminated at Bettyville in Wexford on St. Patrick’s Day.

The already strict protocols have been enhanced further and now not even the owners are being allowed to attend.

Nicky Hartery, chairman of Horse Racing Ireland, said: ‘Health and welfare of employees and industry participants is the prime consideration… we have introduced protocols which can allow racing to continue which is important for the thousands of families who rely on the sector to maintain a livelihood.’

All HSE protocols and advice will be strictly observed and the situation will be kept under daily review, he said.

On the track, Wexford jockeys pulled off a treble at Thurles on Saturday. Jonny Moore got his 37th win of the season aboard outsider, My Newbrook Rose (20/1), for Adrian Murray, in a handicap hurdle.

J.J. Slevin scored on Joseph O’Brien’s Thermistocles (9/1) in the Beginners’ Chase, beating Rachael Blackmore on Myth Buster (11/8f), with Seán O’Keeffe third on Cormac Farrell’s (Bunclody) Salty Boy (7/2), and Jamie Codd took the bumper on Stephen Crawford’s Major Robinson (13/2)

Codd made it a second bumper in successive days at Downpatrick on Sunday, by 18 lengths aboard Gordon Elliott’s prohibitively priced Ballyadam (1/6).

Rob James followed up his first Cheltenham success on Milan Native with an easy 14-length Hunter Chase win at the Northern venue on David Christie’s On The Sod (7/4f). Barry O’Neill won the Down Royal Hunter Chase on Christie’s Winged Leader on St. Patrick’s Day.

Just one racing note from the previous weekend: Richie Rath’s (Screen) Killisk Ben Rose was first past the post in a Handicap Chase at Limerick under Mark Enright but he was relegated to second by the stewards, giving victory to Philip Rothwell’s Enduring Love.

Racing closed down completely in Britain on Wednesday, and Daryl Jacob closed off his season with a win at Southwell on Monday on Harry Whittington’s Shantou Vow (9/2).

He finishes with 34 winners from just 230 rides, in joint 23rd position, a few places ahead of Tom O’Brien on 32 winners.

My Newbrook Rose, with Jonathan Moore up, on their way to winning The BetVictor Handicap Hurdle from eventual second place Fourina, with Ricky Doyle up, after jumping the last at Thurles.