Kentra is driven out by Andrew Thornton to beat Banker Burke (noseband) and Street Party© Photo Healy Racing
Johnny Levins recorded his third win in the training ranks as Kentra took the opener at Tipperary this afternoon, the Super Sunday 6th October 3yo Claiming Race.
The Seamus Mannion owned daughter of Muhaymin unseated Gary Carroll and got loose on her way to the start, but she behaved herself during the race, and having settled in second, she was driven to the front over a furlong out, staying on well from there to score by three parts of a length. Banker Burke ran on to take second at 6/1 under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, while Street Party was just a short head back in third under Wayne Lordan for David Wachman at 9/2. Mindy was sent off the 3/1 favourite for Patrick Prendergast and Chris Hayes, but she ran no sort of race and trailed home a well-beaten eighth.
The winner was having her fourth run in Ireland this afternoon, having won three times on the level in her native France.
She ran just last Wednesday at Listowel, disappointing in the race won by Stony Grey over a mile and a half.
Levins said afterwards: "It was my mistake running her in Listowel. "I was keen to run her over a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half, and I have to put my hands up that I got it wrong.
"I told Seamus (owner) that she’d win here today.
"She is for sale, she has some blacktype after finishing third in a Listed race, and she would be a great mare to bred from.
"She has never shown any signs of temperament before and I don’t know what got into her today. She is as game as a pebble and loves her racing.
"I have ten in training at the moment and I am hoping to buy a few more at the yearling sales as I have orders. I still have a few jumpers for the winter."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
