Quietly Fancied (nearside) beat Harold's Cross at Clonmel © Photo Healy Racing
Ruby Walsh no doubt is looking forward to getting the leg-up on unbeaten Glens Melody this term, but in anticipation of that, the multiple champion jockey was seen at his best to get her Presenting half-brother, Quietly Fancied (three wins now on the track to add to a point-to-point) home in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle.
Quietly Fancied (out of that top-notch nine time winning mare, Glens Music) is a fair performer in his own right. Always on the pace here, he doggedly fended off the lightly-weighted Harold's Cross (his rider Kevin Sexton put up 2Ibs overweight at 9st 5Ib) by half a length.
Winning trainer Oliver McKiernan explained: "We took the blinkers off him today and it seemed to help. He was a bit disappointing with them on him the last day.
"Robbie (Colgan) is injured and not back until next week so he missed the ride but the horse needed all of Ruby's strength.
"He'll have one more hurdle run before Christmas when he'll probably run at Leopardstown.
"He's a horse that's had leg trouble so we won't be rushing him too much." (TW & EM)
