Wild Bill Hickok outguns his rivals in Wexford Wild Bill Hickok, the sole four-year-old in the field, powered home after the last to make a winning start to his chasing career in the Wexfordraces.ie Beginners Steeplechase. Mick Collins took over from long-time-leader Mercury Mission two out but was challenged by Wild Bill Hickok in jumping the final obstacle. Wild Bill Hickok soon swept by and opened up by 11 lengths for Eoghan Finegan. The winner was returned at 15/2 having been much bigger this morning, with the runner-up a 20/1 chance. Mercury Mission (16/1) was almost five lengths further back in third. Harry Cobden, who began life as number one retained rider to JP McManus in Ireland, was on 6/4 favourite Karoline Banbou who weakened quickly in third on the approach to the home straight to finish a well-beaten sixth. Wild Bill Hickok won twice over flights in France for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm. He finished mid-division on stable debut for Ciaran Murphy in a valuable handicap hurdle at Aintree last month. Murphy said: “He was a horse that we knew as a young horse and we kept an eye on him. When he came up for sale we were in the mix for him. “The owner (Patrick Sheanon) has backed me this year and it’s a pleasing result for him and a lovely start. I’m delighted. “He was impressive and he couldn’t pull him up. We’re not getting carried away with that race as it fell away a bit, but he’s a nice prospect going forward. “We bought him with the idea of going four-year-old chasing, that he would get the allowances. It’s starting to work out for us now. “We had him as a young horse for Coolmore and Gerry Aherne had recommended him back to me, and that’s the way it worked out.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
