Small mare Mabel scores for a two-horse stable Abel Mabel (3/1) put her experience to good use in winning Wexford’s opening Wexford Fillies Maiden Hurdle today, as Arthur Goulding’s pint-sized four-year-old filly scored on her tenth attempt, under jockey Niall Moore. Unplaced in previous starts, the filly had finished fourth in two recent maiden hurdles and today raced prominently and got the better of once-raced Riverwoods, by 2.75 lengths. Trainer Goulding, whose father Patrick owns the winner, revealed "Abel Mabel is only 15 hands but is a dinger to jump and I've been loose schooling her since she was a two-year-old. She was a pure natural ever since then and we said we'd chance her over hurdles and it's after happening for us now. “She had great runs in a couple of maidens and is obviously better with a jump in front of her than on the Flat. Today was her Gold Cup.” He added “she'll probably go into handicaps now and she's not going to be a graded mare, but she'll pay her way. "I only have two in and the other mare (Churchill Rose) is running here on Friday. I left my licence lapse for a few years and I took it back out there around two years ago. I've had two winners on the track before this. "I work for Liam Burke so just train for myself on the side but I'm always open to take on more horses. I'm based in Tallow and Liam is only 10 minutes up the road from me, but I'm in Co. Waterford." Quotes from Donal Murphy
