18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Plan comes to fruition for Double Pink

Brian Hayes gets into the drive position on Double PinkBrian Hayes gets into the drive position on Double Pink
© Photo Healy Racing

Double Pink (7/2) made all under a strong Brian Hayes ride to win the mares' maiden hurdle on Tramore's card.

The six-year-old was there to be passed by a trio of challengers racing to the final flight, but Hayes got a good leap from her and she was driven out to account for Silent Approach (2/1) by half a length. Baby Chou (8/1) was another four and a-half lengths back in third.

Donie Murphy said: "It was the plan to go out in front as she is very hard on herself. I think if she got a bit more racing she would learn how to settle.

"It was only her fourth run over hurdles today. We had her as a four-year-old and she ran once. Then the offer came up to lease her, she was leased out to a syndicate and Willie Mullins trained her. She was second in a bumper for Willie.

"She got carried out in Wexford on her first run back with us. I thought she'd run well that day. In Gowran, it rained, the ground got very heavy and she was very hard on herself on that kind of ground.

"She reversed the form today on the little bit better ground. She'll stay over hurdles now for the moment."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.