Kerryhead lands feature at Clonmel An eventful renewal of the Powerstown Chase saw the front running Kerryhead Windfarm claim a second win over fences and deny King Johns Castle by a head at Clonmel on Thursday. Colman Sweeney had to be at his strongest aboard Adrian Maguire?s 10-year-old to maintain the lead he held from flag fall in denying Davy Russell on the Arthur Moore trained grey who has now finished second on eleven occasions. Despite the hindrance of loose horses for company the 8/1 shot kept at his task bravely to upset the 8/11 favourite and afterwards the winning trainer remarked, ?Colman gave the horse a brilliant ride and it is one of the best rides you will see all year.? ?The drier the ground the better and there are plenty of races for him at Fairyhouse and Punchestown and he could go for the three-mile hurdle at Punchestown which in which he was second to Asian Maze two years ago.? In the Ballypatrick Handicap Hurdle Omagh based trainer Mervyn Torrens had his ten hour round trip made worthwhile when Nirphania made it two wins on the bounce in the hands of Niall Madden. The daughter of Komado had to battle all the way to the line to get her head in front and deny Kashnito D?Hommee by half a length with that pair drawing 14-lengths clear of Takendo back in third. Afterwards Torrens said, ?She is tough and did well to win after going up so much and hopefully we will find another one for her.? Despite landing the feature race of the day, Adrian Maguire?s best chance of the day looked to be in the shape of Joe Maguire in the maiden hurdle but favourite backers failed to get a run for their money when he exited at the third flight and later had to be destroyed. It was another front running performance that stole the plaudits in the two and a half mile contest when Kermar held off Cler by half a length for Kevin Coleman. Trained by Wexford based Daryl Deacon neither Cler or Sher Fountain had enough in the tank to get by the eventual winner whose trainer was without a winner since April 2006. Martin Ferris has built up a good relationship with Sheebadiva for trainer Sean Aherne and Ferris put in a sterling performance to record a third win on the seven-year-old who was the fourth mare on the day to enter the winners enclosure. Bohemian Lass got the day under way in the Clonmel Mares Hurdle for Bill Harney and John Cullen with the well backed Emotional Melody putting in a disappointing effort while it was the Nina Carberry ridden Moving On who scored in the Suir Ladies Handicap Hurdle. Carberry was aboard the 5/2 favourite who jumped through to lead at the second last and went on to record an easy 11 length success for trainer Edward Mitchell. Jockey Sarah Gavin was taken to hospital for precautionary x-rays after she suffered a crashing fall from Thats My Pet in the same race. Irelands current leading jockey Davy Russell will be forced to sit on the sidelines for a day in the near future after receiving a one day suspension and a ?500 fine for being abusive to racecourse foreman Niall Boland at the start of the first race.
