Niki O’Shea © Photo Healy Racing
The visiting Irish team enjoyed a dream start to the annual Jump Jockeys’ Challenge against their Australian counterparts at Murray Bridge, South Australia earlier today.
Irish riders filled the first four places in the opening leg of the three race series, a high weight flat handicap over 11f, with Niki O’Shea leading the way on the locally-trained Navan Lass.
The 8/1 chance scored by four lengths from the Brian Cawley-ridden 5/1 shot Doubly Sure with Kevin Sexton’s mount Afrisky Business (20/1) third and Outrageous Man, with Paul Gallagher in the saddle, fourth. Best of the home team was the Trent Wells-ridden 4/5 favourite Down The Middle who could only manage fifth place.
Both Niki O’Shea and Paul Gallagher are now based in South Australia and have been co-opted onto the Ireland team this year with Irish based riders Brian Cawley and Kevin Sexton travelling out.
O’Shea, originally from Tralee, is riding in the series for the third time and was on the winning Irish side last year. He made his first trip Down-Under as part of the Irish team in 2006 and won the corresponding race in the series at Gawler on that occasion.
There is, of course, an Irish connection with the winning horse. Her trainer Ricky Moore is originally from Navan, County Meath and has been based in Adelaide for many years.
With Ireland leading by 12 points to 6, the series continues at Morphettville, Adelaide’s city track, on Saturday where the racecourse hosts its annual Irish Day, which attracts one of its largest attendances of the year.
The jockeys will clash again in a hurdle race and a steeple, and naturally Irish team manager Sean Lynch is delighted to be heading into the weekend with a healthy points advantage.
He said, “I can’t thank the South Australia Jockey Club enough. Once again, they are treating us so well and it’s a pleasure to be here. I’m thrilled to hear that jump racing’s position in the South Australia has recently been secured for the foreseeable future after some months of doubt and that is the result of so much hard work by so many people.
"The boys did very well today and filling the first four places was beyond our expectations. We can’t wait to meet up in Adelaide again on Saturday. Irish Day at Morphettville is a wonderful occasion and hopefully the results will go our way again.”
