Fennessy gets it just right on Shuilegoric

CIARAN Fennessy seems well assured of victory in this season’s novice riders point-to-point championship and the Fermoy amateur brought his tally for the campaign to an impressive 15 by giving the Tom Keating-trained Shuilegoric a well-judged front-running ride to win the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at the well-attended Carbery Hunt meeting on Inchydoney Island yesterday.

Shuilegoric (6/1), a creditable third on his penultimate start at Lisronagh last month, kicked for home after the fifth last of the 15 obstacles. Whilst runner-up Sharivarry closed from the second last, the market leader didn’t aid his cause by erring at the final fence and he was still a half-length adrift at the line. Dandelap showed promise by finishing a further neck adrift in third spot.

“This horse likes this fast ground and his owner Pat Power, a vet in Cahir, bought him from [breeder] Peter Kiely as a foal,” said the in-form Keating.