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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Walsh gets Spear home in bumper

Wed 18th Jul 2012, 21:10

Katie Walsh and Barry Connell are presented their prizes surrounded by Rose Of Tralee contestantsKatie Walsh and Barry Connell are presented their prizes surrounded by Rose Of Tralee contestants
© Photo Healy Racing

Magic Spear landed the odds when claiming the bumper under a strong ride from Katie Walsh.

Colm Murphy 's charge was sent off 5/6 favourite, having been 6/4 this morning, and gave owner Barry Connell a quick double at Killarney this evening.

Walsh drove her mount into the lead a furlong-and-a-half out but the Dr Massini gelding was soon strongly pressed by Pollywollydoodle

The hotpot found plenty inside the final furlong, however, to post a length-and-a-quarter success.

The winner had been second to the smart Ted Veale on his debut before finishing fourth on his most recent start at Navan back in March.

"He'll probably go the winners' bumper in Galway. That's the obvious race for him," said Murphy.

"On nicer ground he should be a nicer horse. He was entitled to win on his Leopardstown run and we probably shouldn't have run him at Navan on heavy.

"Anything he does in bumpers is a bonus."

Barry Connell had also seen his colours carried to victory in the preceding race by the Shane Broderick-trained Black Benny

(on course reporting by Thomas Weekes)

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.