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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

River Thames is a 'snug' winner on debut

Tue 14th Sep 2021, 14:31

River Thames just gets the better of ChangingoftheguardRiver Thames just gets the better of Changingoftheguard
© Photo Healy Racing

Newcomer River Thames led home a 1, 2 for Aidan O'Brien in the BetVictor Supporting Irish Racing Maiden.

Bought for £320,000 as a yearling, the Churchill colt was sent off a 5/1 chance under Wayne Lordan.

Settled in mid-division, the bay victor was pushed along on the approach to the straight and was ridden to challenge on the outer with just over a furlong to race.

He edged to the front inside the final 100 yards and maintained his advantage all the way to the line, coming home a neck to the good. Changingoftheguard (9/2 to 16/5), who hit the front approaching the straight, had to settle for second under Seamie Heffernan, while newcomer Zuhra (12/1) was two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third. World Famous was sent off the 2/1 favourite and he finished a disappointing fifth under Declan McDonogh for Joseph O'Brien.

"He's a fine big colt and always went nicely at home," Lordan revealed.

"I struggled a little bit in the first half of the race and he just showed his inexperience on the track.

"From halfway he started to come home well and I felt like he won well at the line.

"I was getting there and because he was so green early on I was trying to land him there so he wouldn't be getting to the front and jamming on.

"I won snug at the line. As you can see he's quite a big two-year-old so next year is hopefully going to be a nice year for him."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
5/1
Tote €5.20 €2.30
2nd
nk
16/5
€1.60
3rd
2.25L
12/1
€3.90
4th
nose
66/1
bf
1.5L
2/1Fav
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.