Shane Markey claims first success as Found A Diamond wins the Thurles Maiden Hurdle

FIRST SUCCESS: Found A Diamond & Shane Markey win the Irish Stallio Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle for owner Tom Ward. Picture: HEALY RACING

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle on Thursday’s card in Thurles may prove a pivotal point in the career of young jockey Shane Markey as Found A Diamond, trained by Ross O’Sullivan and owned by Tommy Ward, gave him a first success as a rider.

The Monaghan native, who also rides on the Flat, has been putting plenty of emphasis on gaining experience over obstacles, and this was a well-deserved reward for his endeavour.

His mount, a shade of odds-on following a good effort in defeat in Cork, was buffeted about around the final couple of bends but, to his credit, the five-year-old picked up really well in the closing stages to win quite handsomely.

“Big thanks to Ross and to Tommy Ward (owner), it’s some feeling,” said the seven-pound claimer. “Early on, I was a wee bit further back than I wanted to be but, to be fair to him, he was jumping away and took me into the race fairly sweetly.

“I tracked the leader most of the way, filled him up down the back, and he won well in the end. We thought stepping him up in trip today, from the last day, was going to be a big help to him too. We got a lead down over the last, and he winged it too and hit the line well. I finished with loads of horse.” 

Speaking of his time with O’Sullivan, he added: “I love it down there. I learn loads off Ross and the lads in the yard, and to get this is brilliant.” 

Philip Rothwell ended a losing run of 27 days by taking the opening race, the Racing Again November 20 Beginners’ Chase, with chasing newcomer Kotkito Bello.

The five-year-old, ridden by Tiernan Power Roche, was well positioned throughout and while there were, plausibly, ten runners in with a chance as they turned for home, the winner picked up really strongly to go clear, along with uneasy favourite Stoneyford Lady, and won with quite a nice amount in hand.

A €95,000 purchase at the Goffs Arkle Sale in 2023, he has a long way to go to recoup that price, but there are definitely more races to be won with him now that he’s over fences.

Darragh O’Keeffe had to settle for second place in the opener but went a place better aboard the Paul O’Flynn-trained A Nod To Getaway in the Littleton Handicap Chase.

After taking over going across the top for the final time, he looked to be a sitting duck for the strong travelling Howya Luveen but, after jumping the last together, he picked up the quicker and went on to win by a length and a quarter.

It was a third win of the season for the eight-year-old, a fourth in all, and the third time O’Keeffe was in the plate for a winning turn.

“When I winged the third-last, I sent him along and I knew if something came to me, I’d keep going,” said the winning rider. “He’s been a good horse to me: I’ve won a hurdle and a couple of chases on him. And it’s great for the lads. They’re only a small operation but they do a good job.” 

As well as a Cork connection, there was a key link between that winner and the winner of the following race, the www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase. River Vale, trained by Mick Winters and ridden by Shane Fitzgerald, had finished a place behind A Nod To Getaway when fourth in a handicap chase at Listowel and his victory here added further substance to that race as now the second, third, fourth and fifth have all won since.

Martin Hassett has his dual-purpose stable in fine fettle and Bynx provided another winner for the team when getting up late to take the Ballagh Mares’ Handicap. Tir Og looked to have been brought with a perfectly timed run as she led over the last, but Sean Flanagan got a great response from Bynx, who battled back to shade the verdict by a neck.

Ciaran Murphy’s dual-purpose stable remains impressively in the ascendancy and Destivelle, who was having just her second run for the yard, got off the mark over hurdles in the Two-Mile-Borris Handicap Hurdle. For much of the race it looked an unlikely scenario but the further they went, the better she travelled, and in the end, she scampered clear under Simon Torrens to win as she pleased.

“Shane Ryder recommended that she be sent to us, and I really appreciate that,” said Murphy. “He said that if you come back to Thurles, where she likes it, you’d have a great chance.

“She ran a cracker the last day, and now she’s after winning, so we’re extremely pleased. It’s the first time those colours have been in the winner’s enclosure, so it’s very exciting for them. That’s what syndicates are all about.” 

Well-backed newcomer The First Turn, trained by Sam Curling and ridden by David Doyle, justified favouritism in the finale, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Bumper, but it was only in the final strides that he managed to overhaul Lemon Grove.