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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Gossiper survives enquiry to give Mullins & O'Connor double

Fri 18th Jun 2021, 17:39

The Gossiper and Mike O'Connor beat EspertiThe Gossiper and Mike O'Connor beat Esperti
© Photo Healy Racing

The Gossiper had to survive a stewards enquiry before giving Emmet Mullins and Mike O'Connor a double on the card in the concluding bumper at Down Royal. Blackstair Rocco had landed a significant gamble earlier in the day and his stablemate went to post 7/4 favourite in the finale.

He jumped out to make the running but was tackled by the smooth travelling newcomer Esperti running down the hill.

That rival ran wide off the bend under two furlongs out but was strongly pressing the leader when The Gossiper drifted left over a furlong out, causing his rival interference.

Esperti switched out in the closing stages but couldn't peg back The Gossiper as he stayed on well to record a length-and-a-quarter success.

The winner, successful on his track debut at Wexford in March, was bouncing back to winning ways having been tailed off in Grade 2 company at Aintree before finishing mid-division at Tipperary last month.

O'Connor said afterwards: "He hung throughout the race but he just showed a bit of class about him and seems a nice horse going forward."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)

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.