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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Sweet As A Nut so aptly named

Tue 27th Dec 2016, 15:30

Sweet As A Nut well clear in LimerickSweet As A Nut well clear in Limerick
© Photo Healy Racing

Sweet As A Nut lived up to his name when travelling ever so well to win the Earl Of Harrington Memorial Maiden Hunters Chase at Limerick.

He raced just off the leaders in fifth on the outer coming to the third last fence.

Johnny Barry eased him into the lead approaching the home straight. The six-year-old gelding, in the first time tongue strap, didn't come off the bridle in jumping two out with a healthy advantage.

He was shaken up to assert before the last and crossed the line 15 lengths to the good at 3/1. Captain Bizarro (6/1 from 9/1) could make no impression in second but he was 13 lengths in front of Kraken Tale (10/1 from 25s in the morning).

Trainer Michael Barry said: “Johnny has ridden for me twice now and won twice. This is a well-bred horse as his half-brother Westend Story was fifth in the Cheltenham Bumper last March.

“We should have a lot of fun with him and we might think about taking on the big guns in the hunter chase at Leopardstown.”

Barry is based in Mondaniel, Fermoy, Co Cork.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.