Confidence impressive in bumper The Philip Rothwell-trained Confidence Within (10/1) was an impressive winner of the Connellan & Noone Solicitors LLP Longford Flat Race at Kilbeggan for rider Phidelma Elvin. The five-year-old son of Jetaway was third in a point-to-point and he was keen throughout the contest on his track debut. He left his rivals with a smart turn of foot in the closing stages to score by nine-and-half lengths and took some pulling up after the line in an impressive performance. Speaking after the race, the winning rider Elvin said: “Usually I’m blowing after riding a winner from trying to ride a finish but today I’m blowing because I had to try and hold him for a mile-and-a-half. “I was counting down to that four-furlong pole so I could let him go. When I slipped him an inch of rein, wasn’t he very good! “I didn’t know he had those gears, I knew he’d stay so I was happy with the gallop they were going. The turn of foot off the bend, I couldn’t believe it. “It’s not often you are going into the finish thinking ‘do I have another lap? Have I messed this up?’. I’m not usually that full of running at the finish. “I’m really looking forward to him, he’s a brilliant addition. “Philip is consistently trying to improve the yard and he was a buy last season with the idea to improve the quality of horses and by-God did he get it right!” (Quotes from Gary Carson)
