By Dan Walsh at Wexford Races
Local trainer Paul Nolan took four horses to his native track at Bettyville Park, Wexford, this afternoon and made the racing headlines and delighted the local punters ending up with two successes and two runner-up positions.
It all got off to the perfect start when Kiltealy Park (15/2) scored a half a length victory under Sean Flanagan from Robinstown, New Ross, in the mares’ maiden hurdle. Running in the colours of the Browne Brothers Partnership from Waterford, the five-year-old was winning for the first time. Kiltealy Park was placed in three point-to-points for handler Colin Bowe and this was her third run for Nolan.
The Master of Toberona Stables, Davidstown, had to wait until the final contest of the day – the bumper – to complete the double when the six-year-old mare Farfromnowhere (9/1) ridden by Jack Hendrick got in front by a neck and then had an anxious wait until cleared following a steward’s enquiry. Competing for joint owners, David Flynn and John Brennan, Farfromnowhere won her only point-to-point at Tattersalls last October.
Sam Magee (6/4 fav) for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead ran Nolan’s charge Givehimthehonour (Conor Stone-Walsh up), who lead for most of the novice hurdle, into the runner-up spot and Tranquil Sea (Sean Flanagan up) fared likewise for Nolan as Mossy Fen (13/2), owned and trained by Mark Molloy from Thurles got up by half a length under Liam Quinlan in the handicap hurdle.
There were three steeplechases on the card. Bocelli’s Voice (9/2) won the beginners chase for Dermot McLoughlin and jockey Ben Harvey; Doyen Ta Win (15/2) took the mares beginners chase for Waterford trainer Declan Queally and jockey Kevin Sexton; and the handicap chase was won by Shadow Rider (11/10 fav) in the famous John P McManus colours trained by Padraig Roche and ridden by claimer Aidan Kelly from Monasterevin.
Wexford Racecourse Managing Director, Ursula Sinnott, made a special presentation to champion jockey Paul Townend in recognition of his big races successes this season at Cheltenham, Aintree and Leopardstown and wished him well at next week’s big Punchestown Festival meeting.
Behind the scenes the new stables were used for the first time and plenty of praise ensued. Horse boxes are now parked in the centre of the track and the runners are taken across to the new stables. The plan worked well on day one.
Next scheduled fixture at Bettyville Park is Saturday, May 18th. Looking forward to it already.
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