O'Connor guides Young Lucy to narrow win Providing Tony Martin with his second winner in as many days, Young Lucy led home 12-rivals in the Kanturk Handicap Hurdle. With Derek O'Connor a notable jockey booking, the Lauro six-year-old was returned a 4/1 joint-favourite in the colours of Ray Grehan. Settled in mid-division and taking closer order on the approach to the straight, the 104-rated victor was ridden in second away from the penultimate obstacle. While briefly looking held away from the last, she rallied gamely in the closing stages and edged by Warm In Gorey approaching the line, with half-a-length ultimately between them. The runner-up was returned at 15/2 under Tiernan Power Roche for Philip Rothwell, while Smiling Bess (7/1) was another seven-lengths back in third. The other joint-favourite was Sharetheknowledge, with this one finishing a disappointing ninth. "She is very willing and Tony said she would be suited by an extra two furlongs and he was right," O'Connor reflected. "I feel if she had the extra distance she would have put in a very nice performance, but that was good all the same. "She won a shade cosily and I wasn't searching for the line or anything, so hopefully she'll have another day." STEWARDS REPORTS * The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Sharetheknowledge, trained by Paul Tobin, at the request of the Raceday Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal. * Gillian Scott, trainer of Ask The Bookie, reported to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer that her charge was found to have mucus on endoscopic examination post race. Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
