Walsh & McCarthy strike in Australia Katie Walsh and Ian McCarthy were successful in both legs of the Australia vs Ireland jump jockeys challenge at Adelaide city track Morphettville this afternoon. The visitors had trailed the hosts after their encounter at Murray Bridge on Wednesday. In the four-runner hurdle race Walsh and McCarthy represented Ireland with Shane Jackson and Martin Kelly riding for Australia. Walsh’s mount, the David Hayes-trained Honey Steel’s Gold fought out a good finish with Shearer (Shane Jackson) to winner by a length and a half with McCarthy back in third on a 30/1 chance Compelled whose Melbourne trainer Eric Musgrove saddled three of the quartet. The winner and runner-up both started odds-on; 1.95 and 1.90. Australia still held a points advantage but the lead had been reduced. Australia 25 ½ points to Ireland’s 23. The Irish team smelt blood. The two horses to be ridden by Luke Dempsey on the day were both scratched. And after scratching time Katie Walsh advised the stewards that she was prepared to forego her ride in the steeplechase to allow Luke to ride. However the stewards determined that this was not permitted. The steeple was the real decider with Zabrook (ridden by Paul Hamblin for Australia) going out hard, this horse was not part of the count due to the odd number of horses in the field. When the odds-on favourite (Tom Ryan for the absent Steve Pateman ) stumbled and unseated down the back straight it meant that the two Irish riders (Ian McCarthy and Katie Walsh) only needed to complete the race for Ireland to win the series. In a thrilling finish The Robert Smerdon-trained Hucknall (8/1) and McCarthy won by a head from fast finisher About The Journey (Jackson for Australia) with Mannertone (4/1) and Katie well back in third. Ireland finished on top with 39 points to Australia’s 33 ½. It was an exceptional turnaround to a great series and the trophy returns to Ireland for the first time in three years.
