Dempsey’s Matt Connor registers first hurdle success Market-drifter Matt Connor (2/1 — 9/2) scored a first jumps success today, winning Limerick’s Master Chefs Classic Handicap Hurdle for trainer Philip Dempsey, jockey Jordan Gainford and owner Adrian Sheils. A dual Flat winner, the son of Teofilo had caught the eye in a previous hurdle outing at Gowran earlier this month and while initially well supported into favourite this morning, drifted in show prices. In the race, Matt Connor edged ahead close home for an all-out neck success over Footstepstoglory, with a nose to third-placed Lenjoleur De Palma. Trainer Dempsey reported “Matt Connor battled hard although Jordan (Gainford) said the ground was as soft as he’d want it. It was a messy race with the leader (Pahlavi) going off way out in front but he winged the last. He actually jinked approaching the last but once Jordan got into him, he finished well. “He had a good enough rating for the Flat and we’ll look for another goodish ground hurdle race now, but we won’t run him on heavy. There could be a nice handicap in him down the road. “Adrian (Sheils) is from Birr and is also involved with Killinure Lass, who won for us at Tramore recently, so is having a good time.”
