Rothwell forges new link with Thomas through Ocean Murphy Joanna Walton booted home Ocean Murphy to claim the honours in the Wexford Racecourse Ladies Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f. He hugged the rail on the home bend to take a narrow lead into the home straight and swiftly popped two out to increase his margin before the last. He didn't get very high at all over the final obstacle, but it didn't cost him momentum and he kept on nicely to strike by five and a half lengths at 9/1 having been more than double those odds this morning. The places were occupied by gambled-on Costanuci (12/1 - 6/1) and Ladiam (20/1) in second and third respectively. Philip Rothwell said: "I met Julie (Thomas, owner) in Doncaster a few years ago and she breeds some top class horses in Newmarket. Her pedigrees are very good and she told me that this horse wasn't a commercial sales horse because he wasn't hugely big, so she offered me to get involved. "We went from there and it is fantastic to get a winner with my first horse for Julie. To have an overseas owner having a winner in Ireland is fantastic. "We'll keep him handicap hurdling now and we could look at a four-year-old handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe later this year. I thought he wanted a trip but Darragh (O'Keeffe) suggested we drop him back in trip, having ridden him the last day. "It's Joanna's first winner for me and she is very loyal and able when Phildelma (Elvin, stable amateur) isn't available." Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
