Just Jump dispels stamina doubts to register first career win The Denis Hogan trained Just Jump proved that he had stamina in abundance when keeping on strongly to land the opening Seamus Murphy Memorial Optional Claiming Maiden at Bellewstown. With an official rating of 65, the Kodi Bear gelding appeared to hold a strong chance on bare form. However, having never raced beyond 6f, the three-year-old had to prove that he stayed on this first start over a mile. Weak in the market (3/1 from 2/1), Just Jump tracked the leaders under Joey Sheridan, before coming through to take over with two-furlongs left to race. If anything, the eventual winner looked to appreciate the extra distance, galloping on strongly to the line for a one-and-a-half-length defeat of Late Night Talking. Aside from a friendly claim on the winner, there were no further claims. Owner James McAuley said: "It was a bad race now, you wouldn't be getting carried away. "We only bought him three or four weeks ago for the race on Friday (last week in Dundalk) and if he couldn't win that, to do this. He was bought to do a job and he has done that job. "I had my doubts over whether he would stay but, to be fair, Denis and Joey thought that he would stay and thought that he would go through the ground. I'm not training, the trainer knows more! "He was bought for those two races. Now we'll tip away up in Dundalk, he's probably not badly handicapped. "We bought him at reasonable money." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
