18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Rock takes the last for Elliott and Harrington

Sat 24th Aug 2013, 18:19

Polished Rock is pushed out by Charlie Elliott to beat Jazz Girl (inside) and ShalamanPolished Rock is pushed out by Charlie Elliott to beat Jazz Girl (inside) and Shalaman
© Photo Healy Racing

The Jessica Harrington trained Polished Rock (4/1) followed up on his recent success at Leopardstown, as he took the last at the Curragh this afternoon, the Loughwood Apprentice Handicap.

Partnered by Charlie Elliott, the three-year-old son of Rock Of Gibraltar was ridden in second two furlongs out, but he responded well to pressure, hitting the front inside the final furlong, before keeping on well close home to score by half a length.

The Andrew Oliver trained Jazz Girl adopted her customary front-running tactics under Luke Dempsey, and she ran a brave race but she couldn’t hold off the challenge of the winner, and she had to settle for second at 5/1. Shalaman was sent off the 5/4 favourite (15/8 this morning and 11/8 on-course) under Anastasia O’Brien for Denis Hogan, but he could only manage third, a half a length behind the runner-up.

Jessica Harrington said afterwards: “He is just improving a little bit. It’s hard on the apprentices just using hands and heels as he is a bit of a lazy horse, but he was good there.

"I thought he was never going to get there.

"I’m delighted and we will look for another handicap and we might step him up in trip as he saw that out well.

"He has enough size to go jumping but we will take it one step at a time.

"He had a breathing operation after Gowran and it made all the difference to him, and the first run back after that he was just getting used to being able to breathe again."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
4/1
Tote €4.20 €1.80
2nd
0.5L
5/1
€2.00
3rd
0.5L
5/4Fav
4th
4.25L
6/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.