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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Staffordshire Knot wins Down Royal's opener

Tue 23rd Jan 2024, 13:26

Staffordshire Knot and Jack Kennedy survive a flight flight blunderStaffordshire Knot and Jack Kennedy survive a flight flight blunder
© Photo Healy Racing

Caldwell Construction Ltd's recent bumper winner Staffordshire Knot (8/15f) was a wide-margin winner of Down Royal's opening Molson Coors Beverage Company Maiden Hurdle today, scoring on a poignant day for Gordon Elliott's yard.

The six year old had chased home subsequent Grade 1 winner Readin Tommy Wrong on debut at Cork in November and having won his Fairyhouse bumper on New Year's Day, today scored easily by 21 lengths, despite blundering at the last, from Grooveykindoflove

Successful jockey Jack Kennedy wore a black armband in memory of Aidan Walsh, husband of one of Elliott's owners Karen Walsh, whose funeral takes place today.

Regarding Staffordshire Knot, Kennedy said “he's a bit green, but I'd say he would be better in a better race. It was a nice performance and hopefully can progress.

"He was running around a bit at the last and was left on his own but it was just a little bit of greenness. The ground is very dead, so it is testing. He went away through it and did it well."

Quotes from Michael Graham

About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.