Rokanako gets off the mark over timber Rokanako survived some sticky jumps to win at odds on in the Red Mills EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel. The Eddie Power-trained gelding had his rivals off the bridle running down to the second last but got very close to that hurdle and was untidy. He wasn’t fluent at the final flight either, for Michael Kenneally, but had enough up his sleeve to record a three-and-a-quarter length win over 300/1 shot Le Vent D’ex. Rokanako was a bumper winner at Kilbeggan back in late May and had some good placed form in winners’ contest since, most recently at Down Royal last Friday. "He deserves that as he has good form in winners' bumpers. He is a brilliant jumper at home, you wouldn't get better but when something is just letting him down a small bit on the racetrack. Today he gave away a lot of ground jumping,” said Power. "He is a better ground horse so we might give him a little break now and see what way the winter is. He could go to Thurles or Leopardstown for better ground, but we'll sharpen up his jumping first. He'll go on the Flat next year. "Sean (Dalton) is a Tipperary man so would get more enjoyment out of today than he would at Champions Day in Leopardstown. “He likes these bigger meetings and I train his horses to give him as good an experience as possible. To be fair, with what we have, we have been getting a fair run out of them and we're going well." (Quotes by Tom Weekes)
