By Brian Fleming
Shabob, the horse that landed Donal Bromley with a twelve day ban for insufficient effort when finishing fourth in a handicap hurdle at Clonmel last month, paid the stewards a handsome compliment when landing the two mile Enniscorthy Maiden under Shane Kelly at Wexford on Saturday.
Harry Rogers, who trains the four-year-old for the eighteen-strong Glyde Racing Club from Tallanstown, said of his narrow winner, 'He's an ordinary horse who was entitled to win that race on his official rating. I bought him out of Jim Bolger's for #14,500 for the syndicate, just for a bit of fun. They've had a few horses but it's their first winner and I'm delighted for them.'
Cappanmore Girl, absent since running over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival, got up in the dying strides under a determined drive from Pat Smullen to deny Biddy Blackhurst in the 1m5f handicap, a verdict that took judge Paddy Graffin over ten minutes to determine after calling a print moments after the pair flashed past the post together.
The in-form Smullen, who was recording his fifth success in four days, is now on the 38 mark for the current campaign, just two behind sidelined champion Mick Kinane.
Joyce Bel justified odds-on favouritism in the Beginners Chase for absent trainer Tony Martin but it wasn't such a good race for Philip Carberry who suffered a crashing fall at the last from Late In The Day when lying a beaten third at the time.
The Meathman, younger brother of Paul, was concussed and suffered bruising to his right-elbow and was stood down fro seven days by the Turf Club Medical Officer Dr Walter Halley.
Pat Martin's Dionisio turned the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Maiden into a procession when romping home in the hands of Declan McDonogh while the consistent Kate Emily notched up her sixth victory for Dublin owner Frank McNulty and trainer Pat Flynn when surviving a stewards enquiry after defeating Celtic Project in the Smirnoff Handicap.
'She always enjoys her day out and we may bring her down to Killarney for an amateur race during the week,' said Pat Flynn.
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