Devil's Cut (Hugh McOwan, nearside) gets there to beat Mustea Lovea Lovea (John Barry)© Photo Healy Racing
Hugh McOwan rode his fourth winner to maintain an excellent strike rate, getting there on the line to take the Molson Coors INH Flat Race at Downpatrick on Denise Foster’s easy-to-back newcomer Devil’s Cut (9/1).
Mustea Lovea Lovea (the well-backed 3/1 second favourite) looked to have this in the bag when going for his race from the bottom of the hill.
Indeed he was reportedly matched at 1.04 in-running for two and a half thousand or thereabouts, but the Doyen gelding Devil’s Cut finished with a flourish for McOwan, and owners Pioneer Racing.
A neck was the winning margin. Shopping Around was another winner earlier on the card for Sunnyhill Stud-based stallion Doyen.
"He just took a while to get going, he was a bit green and he was on and off the bridle,” said McOwan.
"He started hanging in coming down the hill. When I got to the bottom of the hill and he took off on me like a rocket.
"Denise (Foster) was expecting him to run well and come on for it."
The Stewards received a report from the Clerk of the Scales, Ms. C. S. Murphy, that Mr Pat Taaffe, rider of Tadhg R Liam had weighed in ten pounds light. Ms. C. S. Murphy added that a lead cloth which had fallen from one of the runners, just before the finishing line, had been handed into the scales. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned who accepted that this was the case. Furthermore, he added that his girths had been checked at the start. Having considered the evidence, the Stewards disqualified Tadhg R Liam and as they could apportion blame to no individual they took no further action.
(MG & EM)
