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Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Sainte Dona routs the opposition for the Coopers

Thu 24th Nov 2022, 14:53

Sainte Dona and Bryan CooperSainte Dona and Bryan Cooper
© Photo Healy Racing

Sainte Dona opened her account in some style when making all for a facile victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Thurles.

Trained by Tom Cooper and ridden by his son Bryan, the five-year-old filled the runner-up spot on two of her previous three starts and was just denied at Clonmel last time.

The 2/1 favourite built up a huge lead on the final circuit of this 2m7f event and was able to pop the last before cruising home on the run-in to still record a 25 lengths winning verdict. Glorious Singer took the runner-up spot with Caremuchmore in third.

Tom Cooper said, "The plan was to jump out and make it. She might have got a bit of a freebie but still she kept going and won 25 lengths. She had plenty left and started to idle a bit and the third-last being taken out didn't help either.

"We knew the step up in trip was a big thing to her and she is a real staying mare, by a great sire.

"She is crying out for a fence and would definitely get blacktype over fences but whether or not she'll get it over hurdles I don't know. There aren't a lot of staying races for novice mares for her but we could see what handicap mark she gets as that could be another option."

He added "I actually got a present of her from Andrew Brooks who had plenty horses in pre-training with me but was pulling the plug and left me the mare."

Quotes by Tom Weekes

About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.