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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Not Before Eight leaves it very late!

Wed 21st Dec 2011, 15:41

Not Before Eight under Barry O’Neill, came from a seemingly impossible position just yards from the line at Downpatrick to poke his head in front for a last-gasp win in the concluding Downpatrick Chirstmas Party Maiden Hunter Chase at Downpatrick today.

Leader Tammys Hill was several lengths clear with 50 yards to race but tied up in the closing stages allowing Not Before Eight (matched at 999/1 in-running) to steal the race at the line.

Afterwards winning trainer David Christie revealed “that’s the way he has to be ridden! He has loads of ability but he has to hit the front as late as possible. Barry (O’Neill) still had a pile of horse under him at the second last.

“He has been in such good form lately that my biggest worry was that he would unseat Barry on the way to the start! We’ll mix it between Open point to points and hunter chases now and maybe look for a winners’ hunters chase at a good staying track.”

“It might have been a bit sharp for him here but the testing ground and the uphill finish worked in his favour.”

About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.