Rebel Fitz leads Captain Cee Bee over the last in the Grimes Hurdle© Photo Healy Racing
The Grade 3 Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary is traditionally a summer flashpoint and this year's Galway Festival 'trial' went to the Michael Winters trained Rebel Fitz who led home a trio of Ballybrit possibles.
Ridden by Davy Russell, Rebel Fitz took up the running after two out and quickened well from the final flight to see off the challenge of last year's winner Captain Cee Bee by a length and a half. Last year's controversial runner-up The Real Article again ran reasonably well, filling the third spot seven lengths away.
Each are intended Galway Hurdle runners but the winner's trainer Michael Winters did later state “the handicapper can't murder him for today - Captain Cee Bee is an old horse and we'll go to Galway but only if he doesn't get too much from of a penalty.”
When asked “what would be 'too much' of a penalty?”, a quick-witted Winters answered ; “about three pounds!”
He added “this was a great race to win and races help to settle him down a lot. He loved those conditions and is an ideal horse for this time of year, in that he can go on moderately soft ground and also on good ground.
“Island Wood, who runs for me later today, stood in the stable with him while we were saddling Rebel Fitz and it helped keep him calm. He keeps training on and improving.
Winters, whose honesty is refreshing, also added “Davy gave him a peach of a ride but a lot of the work was done by Barry Geraghty and he'd have ridden him today but was claimed to ride The Real Article. Davy will keep the ride now in the Galway Hurdle if he wants it.”
Rebel Fitz was cut to 9/1, from 16s, with Stan James Bookmakers for the Galway Hurdle.
