Jennies Jewel sparkles to belie market unease

Anything but dull was the final meeting of the season at Thurles, with last-obstacle fallers, a neat gamble landed, a classy performance from a bright prospect, a mare adding further success to her cv with the breeding sheds firmly in sight, and a reversed result to wrap up proceedings.

The Jarlath Fahey-trained Jennies Jewel was an easy-to-back 2-1 second-favourite for the four-runner Thurles Racecourse Hurdle, but she belied her uneasiness in the market with a strong performance.

Even-money favourite Val De Ferbet set out to make all and jumped well as he held his status as leader all the way to the top of the hill on the final circuit. At that point he was joined by the eventual winner, but another fine jumped allowed him lead into the straight.