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Youknowme climbs the hill well in Downpatrick

Youknowme, white face in middle, and Shane O'CallaghanYouknowme, white face in middle, and Shane O'Callaghan
© Healy Racing Photos

Shane O'Callaghan steered home Youknowme for Philip Rothwell in the Tennent‘s NI Handicap Hurdle over an extended two-miles-five-furlongs at Downpatrick.

The five-year-old gelding raced in mid-division and made good headway at the penultimate flight. O'Callaghan sent him on at the last and the 5/1 shot kept on well up the hill to score by two and three quarter lengths. Ersudaly finished second at 12/1 and was half a length in front of Mister Vic (15/2).

O'Callaghan said: "He had a good run here the last day, he was third, but that was over 2m1f. He was stepping up half a mile or more in distance and he was good and toughed it out well.

"He's like that, he's on and off it (bridle). He was a bit like that today as well.

"He's a middle-of-the-road handicapper and he might win again.

"He was good and tough from the back of the last.

"That's my 12th winner this year, I think, and we are tipping away grand."

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.