Oscar shows the right spirit in mares’ maiden

Colman Sweeney was the in-form rider at yesterday’s Clonmult/Dungourney meeting at Avaune with the former dual Cheltenham festival winning rider partnering a two-timer.

On an afternoon that saw the ground produced in pristine condition by the hard-working committee, Sweeney opened his account aboard the John Paul Brennan-trained Spirit Oscar in the fiercely-competitive four-year-old mares’ maiden.

Spirit Oscar (3/1), an excellent second on her debut at Kinsale in late-October before finishing third at Boulta two weeks ago, was bounced out in front and the daughter of Oscar gave an exhibition of fencing at the head of affairs. It was plainly apparent that the winning bay was possessing all the aces on the lengthy approach to two out and she duly returned with ten lengths to spare over She’s Real.