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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Realt rallies to land opener

Sat 28th Jul 2012, 14:32

Connections brave the rain to welcome Realt Den Chathair (nearest)Connections brave the rain to welcome Realt Den Chathair (nearest)
© Photo Healy Racing

Realt Den Chathair rallied gamely on the run-in to land the spoils in the first at Wexford.

Eddie O'Connell had produced his mount with a perfectly timed run to lead going to the last in the two-mile maiden hurdle.

The Eoin Griffin-trained gelding wasn't the quickest over the final flight, however, handing the advantage back to God's County

O'Connell got a good tune from his mount on the run to the line to edge ahead and the score by a length. Do Ya Feel Lucky ran on well in third, only a half-length further back at the line.

The 4/1 winner was making a deserved breakthrough having been placed in four bumpers and on his hurdling debut at Downpatrick in May.

"I'm delighted to get the win as he's been very consistent without just getting there," said Griffin.

"He's still very green as we seen there at the last when he wasn't great but he won snug enough in the end.

"My dad Sean bred him and he's out of Rua Laas, who was my first winner as a public trainer. She has another few to come.

"He's entered at Galway in the two-and-a-half mile novice on Thursday but it's doubtful that he'll run after the way he jumped there.

"I'll have to talk it over with the owners. The syndicate are from Malahide and they were keen to go to Galway."

Well-backed favourite Ontheground (5/2 into 15/8) led the field before crying enough three from home.

Raise The Beat, a leading fancy before racing, was taken out lame.

There was a sting in the tail for winning rider O'Connell, who picked up a three-day ban for careless riding.

The ban resulted from an incident approaching the bend past the stands where Do Ya Feel Lucky was checked.

The race was run in a real downpour with claps of thunder ringing in the air.

(On course reporting by Alan Magee)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.