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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Grade 3-winner Search For Glory brings up double for Elliott and Kennedy

Thu 15th Feb 2024, 14:59

Jack Kennedy Jack Kennedy
© Photo Healy Racing

Search For Glory foiled four-timer-seeking Harvard Guy as he made all and kept up the gallop in the Grade 3 novice hurdle at Clonmel.

Just the three runners went to post and predictably they went a sedate pace on the attritional ground.

Search For Glory wasn't always fluent off the front and jumped to his left five out as he worked Jack Kennedy's steering.

It developed into a sprint on the long run to the last and Harvard Guy, who sat second throughout, was unable to bridge the two-length gap to Search For Glory.

Kennedy was busy on board the leader who flew the last while Harvard Guy clipped the top. The 5/4 winner went on by four and a-quarter lengths from the 8/11 favourite who was trying three miles for the first time. Sarah Beara was the outsider of three but attracted support down to 12/1. She was always third and dropped 11 lengths behind runner-up Harvard Guy.

This was a notable effort from Search For Glory who was rated 6lb inferior to Harvard Guy and had to give him 6lb under the conditions of this race.

Kennedy said: "He actually did it well in the end and just didn't like being in front. Once he got to the top of the hill he didn't mind coming back around this way, but going away from the bend had been tricky. 

"I wouldn't even say he is better going left-handed, he just didn't enjoy making the running. It worked out okay as he was always going to pick up and he actually showed more gears today than he ever did."

Paddy Power shortened Search For Glory from 20/1 to 16/1 for the Albert Bartlett and kept him unchanged at 33/1 for the Baring Bingham - both races, non runner money back.

Elliott and Kennedy took the preceding race with Undeniable Alibi

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.