Oh My Word impressive as he eases to victory at Navan
SMART EFFORT: Oh My Word and Derek O'Connor win for trainer Tom Cleary. Picture: Healy Racing
A shock winner on his debut over course and distance last month, Oh My Word ran out an impressive winner of the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Future Champions Flat Race in Navan, giving his trainer Tom Cleary a first listed success.
The four-year-old oozed class as he loomed up alongside favourite Panjandrum with three furlong to race and, when asked to go about his business by Derek O’Connor, he stretched clear to triumph by 11 lengths.
“It’s my first listed win, so I’ll enjoy it,” said the delighted winning trainer. “We knew we had a nice horse and he improved from the last day. He’s definitely the best horse I’ve had in the yard.”
Trainer Martin Hassett and 5lb claimer Liam McKenna combined for a spectacular 160-1 double with Battle Of Ridgeway and Solomon Lane.
Versatile seven-year-old Battle Of Ridgeway, recording his fifth win, sparked the double when, confidently handled by McKenna, he coasted to a convincing win over May Call You Back in the two-mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF handicap Chase.
The winning rider said: “If he’s right he wins, if he isn’t, he doesn’t show up. But he seems to go on any ground and is very uncomplicated.
“Sometimes, he doesn’t do a whole lot in front, but he didn’t do that today — he galloped down to the last and picked up well.
“His Listowel and Cheltenham form was very good. And he seems to be improving with racing this season.”
The double was completed when 22-1 shot Solomon Lane captured the handicap chase over an extended two and a half miles, holding on in a desperate finish to beat Bridie’s Beau by a head, with Binge Worthy just a half-length away third.
“He probably needed the run the last day in Fairyhouse, but it left him spot-on for today,” stated the winning rider. “He loves that testing ground — he motors through it. He’s quite a heavy-set horse and handles it well.
“I probably got a bit there a bit soon, but he needed company up the straight and picked up strongly.”
Off the track for 421 days and making his handicap debut, Spinola Bay (Sam Ewing) captured the opening two-mile handicap hurdle for Gordon Elliott, surviving a last-flight mistake to beat Theflyingbee by two and a half lengths.
“He had disappointed us, but he a big, weak horse and just needed time,” stated Elliott. “I was under no pressure from his owner (David L’Estrange) — he has been very patient.
“He travelled well but made a couple of mistakes. He recovered well from the mistake at the last and, hopefully, might defy a penalty.”
Resurgent Gavin Cromwell delivered a 1-2 in the three-mile handicap chase as Keith Donoghue brought The Lovely Man from last to first to see off stablemate Evies Vladimir by five lengths.
“He appreciated the step-up to three miles, so we’ll have to rethink plans for him,” said Cromwell. “He jumped very well and Keith gave him a lovely ride — he got it nice and easy on him.”
Young Monaghan man Shane Markey, a 7lb claimer, who registered his first success on board Found A Diamond at Thurles back in October, struck again on the Ross O’Sullivan-trained gelding in the three-mile- one-furlong handicap hurdle, readily holding off The Miracle Man.
The Diamond Boy gelding is a dour stayer and, helped by first-time cheekpieces, on his handicap debut, stayed on to score by six and a half lengths.
‘Shark’ Hanlon commented: “The lad had a few quid on him at big prices,” after Quest For Speed (40-1), under Gavin Brouder, captured the two-and-a-half mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle at the expense of Collaborative.
“He wants that heavy ground and he’s as good over hurdles as fences, and 9lb lower. He’ll be heading for Limerick over Christmas.”
