Connors gets back to winning ways

FRANCIS CONNORS was in a rush to get back to winning ways yesterday after being laid off for the summer through injury, when taking the honours in the first open horse class, a one-round speed contest, at Millstreet Indoor Show.

In what was a home win of sorts, the stylish Waterford rider was carried to victory by Millstreet Miss, owned by Green Glens impresario Noel C Duggan.

“I’m delighted,” said Connors after the win.

“I’ve been back riding for about six weeks, but this is my first real competitive show.”

Asked his plans for tomorrow’s €10,000 Dairygold Grand Prix, he said: “I’m declared for the grand prix, but will see how big it is first. Since I’m only just back, I don’t want to put too much pressure on the mare.”

Connors crossed the line in 52 seconds flat, his victory coming at the expense of Andrew Bourns.

The runner-up, riding Dow Jones Courcel, the mount of world champion Dermott Lennon, was almost three-tenths of a second adrift of the target.

Conor Swail and Windgates Sensation were next best, a further half a second behind.

Earlier, determination on the part of Gabriel Slattery was matched in kind by the ability of Welcome Captain as the Mayo combination made a winning return to Millstreet.

At the summer show in August, the pairing won the prestigious Boomerang final and final for five-year-old horses on the same day.

Yesterday, they stamped their authority on the 1.20m qualifier for five-year-olds, coming home a second to the good in a two-phase competition that produced only three double clear rounds.

Slattery afterwards said the gelding, by his own Captain Clover, “doesn’t like to knock fences”.

On yesterday’s performance, it would be hard to dispute this.

In winning, however, Slattery had to be at his best, after Conor Swail and Kudos put in a stylish performance to cross the line in 32.99 seconds.

One had the impression, however, he could up it a gear if required.

Slattery expects to be “there or there abouts” in tomorrow’s final.

It would be fair to expect Swail and third-placed Shane Breen (Lawanda Tawanda) to be joining him in the shake-up in what promises to be an intriguing contest.