Donagh O'Connor gets Zahee up close home© Photo Healy Racing
Donagh O’Connor became the second apprentice to hit the career milestone of 95 winners and so lose his claim at Dundalk this afternoon after Zahee defied top-weight in division one of the Hollywoodbets Sponsors The Finishing Line Podcast Handicap.
The John McConnell-trained gelding is certainly not a straight-forward ride and O’Connor gave the six-year-old a peach coming from virtually last to first in the straight leading close home.
The 9/2 chance, getting off the mark at the 16th attempt, weaved through between horses and was just asked for an effort in the closing stages to get past Tanseeq for a half-length success.
A delighted O’Connor said, “It’s brilliant to ride out the claim. I’ve been waiting a while on it and ridden a good few seconds but it’s a good achievement to ride out your claim in Ireland. It’s a nice milestone.”
He added, “I spoke to Gary (Carroll) and he said cover was essential for him, try and weave his way through them and we went good and hard today which helped.
“He always had something to aim at up the straight and they started to stop and before he knew it he was in front on the line.
“As soon as he hit the front I could feel him pulling up and going around the bend after the line he’d stopped to a trot.”
O’Connor was emulating Shane Kelly who also rode out his claim here just over an hour earlier aboard Puerto De Vega
