Rock given rousing reception Ellies Rock kept on strongly in the closing stages to open her account in the mares handicap hurdle at Clonmel this afternoon. The Terence O’Brien-trained Champs Elysees mare had been badly hampered on her last outing at Punchestown, having run well to finish runner-up on her previous outing at that venue. She went to post a 3/1 shot (7/1 this morning) this evening and was produced to dispute going to the second last, by John Shinnick. A good jump at the last saw her assert and she galloped on strongly in the closing stages to score by two lengths from Might Be The One in the two-miler. Afterwards the winning Terence O’Brien Racing Syndicate gave their customary rendition of 'The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee' and the trainer quipped "we wanted to go for a 2m4f race but the only one available was up the north, where we'd nearly have been shot for singing the song! "To be honest none of us would have travelled that far either so we came here and obviously two miles is no inconvenience to her." He added:- "The last day she didn't jump and was beaten from the start but was sore afterwards and I'd say there was something up with her back. We got the physio to her, gave her time and brought her back here.  "She was entitled to win on her January run and it is great for the syndicate, who have her leased from Olivia Hegarty. There are 20 in the syndicate and they are from all over Cork." (Quotes by Tom Weekes)
