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Big Debates another for in-form Jack Foley

Big Debates and Jack Foley
Big Debates and Jack Foley
© Photo Healy Racing

There was plenty of incident in the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Instagram Handicap Chase but Big Debates (4/1) put in a solid round of jumping to give in-form claimer Jack Foley another winner.

The well-backed 13/8 favourite Bring The Bacon departed at the first and several others found the fences difficult to negotiate but Foley produced the 8-year-old Sholokhov gelding to lead two out and he stayed on well to account for Bitview Colin by five lengths.

Foley’s claim was reduced to 5lb after his second treble of the season at Downpatrick on Friday although he was still entitled to avail of his full 7lb claim this weekend.

It was a first victory over fences for the Maurice Kelleher-owned winner who had been successful on his previous outing in a handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe.

Winning trainer Robert Tyner said: "This is great because we are just counting days with him really as he has had a lot of issues. In his point-to-points he was second twice to two Grade 1 horses (Felix Desjy and Gold Cup winner Minella Indo) but has had a lot of problems since and every day is a bonus.

"We are minding him, getting there and we left him off after winning at Ballinrobe (in May). We are afraid to run him on quicker ground even though he'd prefer that more than heavy - hopefully he stays right now."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.