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

Michael Graham

Tidy Zag back to form with a vengeance

Sun 8th Dec 2013, 16:15

Tidy Zag and Andrew McNamara team up well in CorkTidy Zag and Andrew McNamara team up well in Cork
© Photo Healy Racing

Tidy Zag was the surprise 16/1 winner of the two and a half mile novice handicap hurdle in Cork.

Since winning a bumper almost two years ago, the eight-year-old in the first-time hood and tongue-strap combination has been largely out of form and hasn’t been placed since.

Today though, with Andrew McNamara on board for the first time, he came through the field and picked up the running with three obstacles to jump.

Despite a mistake at the last, he was clear and the nearest pursuer – Sterling Stuff – fell there and badly impeded Drive On Locky (9/2f from 10/1 in the morning). This enabled Provincial Pride (7s from 20s in the morning) to get up and pip Drive On Locky for second by half a length.

Flat jockey Billy Lee in a rare outing in a hurdle race grabbed fourth on Pairc Na Leasa at 15/2, having stayed on from mid-division.

Ray Hackett said: “He won his bumper [for James Grace at Thurles in December 2011], but he’s had a lot of problems since. He’s very hard to keep right and when you think you have him something goes wrong.

“I’ve had him since I got my licence 18 months ago. That’s my third winner and I have four in training. We’ll see how he is, he’s in at Tramore on Thursday.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.