Fine Theatre and Sean O'Keeffe clear the last© Photo Healy Racing
Fine Theatre returned to form with a vengeance when landing the featured Arctic Tack Stud Veterans Handicap Chase at Wexford.
The Paul Nolan-trained gelding, a half-brother to former stablestar Joncol, has been lightly-raced since winning a handicap hurdle on this card also over 2m4f on St Patrick’s Day last year.
Despite being pulled up on his last run over three months ago, the ten-year-old son of King’s Theatre was well backed this morning at all rates from 20/1 and returned at just 9/2.
He made most of the running under Sean O’Keeffe and kept on well in the straight to beat Scoir Mear by three and a quarter lengths with Spare Brakes another length and three quarters away in third.
Nolan said, “He was offered for sale and nobody would take him and he’s after winning over 23,000 there.
“He wasn’t getting too many more chances. He got a rating of 134 after he won his beginners chase in Gowran and he hasn’t won a chase since. In fairness he was dropped to let him be someway competitive again and thankfully he won.
“He has off days and on days but if he’s let do his own thing and things go right for him he’s not too bad. He likes small fields as well.
“He made a lot of ground at one of the fences down the back and he had something in reserve to get home.
“We’ve had a good lot of seconds this season but we can’t complain as they are running well.”
