Quick Jack heads Face Value close home© Photo Healy Racing
Quick Jack made it three wins from his last four starts when getting up in the final strides to deny the front-running Face Value in the Tote Mobile Betting Handicap.
The dual-purpose gelding ran on consecutive days at the Listowel Festival last month, finishing second to Rich Coast (won a Listed race since at Cork) in a valuable Flat handicap before scoring the following day over hurdles.
However victory here for the 7/2 chance seemed unlikely early in the straight as Face Value (18/1) still held a huge lead under Colin Keane.
However the distress signals went out two furlongs out, and Fran Berry’s mount steadily reeled him in on the climb to the line to score by half a length.
The 11/4 favourite Zip Wire was a further two and three quarter lengths back in third, with Feisty Champion (14/1) in fourth.
Winning trainer Tony Martin said, “He’s a decent little horse, and he couldn’t do a lot more in Listowel where a good horse beat him. We freshened him up after that, and he timed it to perfection. It was a good performance.
“He’s in the November Handicap (at Leopardstown on November 3) but I doubt he’ll run as it comes a bit too quick and he needs more time between his races. He could run over hurdles as well and we’ll tip away with him over the winter.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
