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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Village Voice brings up Listed-race double for Harrington

Sat 22nd Apr 2023, 18:11

Village Voice and Ronan Whelan make the best way homeVillage Voice and Ronan Whelan make the best way home
© Photo Healy Racing

Jessica Harrington's Village Voice came home strongly once switched out by Ronan Whelan to land the Listed Salsabil Stakes in Navan.

The 7/1 shot came with her challenge inside the final furlong and kept on well to beat 11/10 favourite Jackie Oh by three-parts of a length. Village Voice's stablemate, Foniska could give no more once headed in the final 100 yards and dropped a further two and three-quarter lengths back to third under Shane Foley.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said: "She has been very brave down the inside. I'm just watching the head on and she has been very brave to go through the gap. She has done it really really nicely.

"I'd imagine we will go Ribblesdale now, we were just touched off in it last year with Magical Lagoon.

"Our other horse, Foniska has run a cracker, but she boiled over a little bit beforehand and will come on a tonne from it. She wants a bit better ground.

"Shane is trying to take it well! He knew it was going to be a tough call but his filly has lost little in defeat. She just got tired close home.

"It was a tough choice for him - this filly, Village Voice, does absolutely nothing at home.

"It has been a good day and a great tonic for mum. I think it is the quote of the year - I rang her coming in here and she said 'why are you ringing me? They are about to go into the stalls!' I told her the race had finished and she obviously pressed pause and didn't fast forward it again! I told her Village Voice won and Foniska was third and she said 'oh, brilliant!'."

This gave the Harrington stable a Listed-race double as Ocean Quest (10/1) took the Committed Stakes earlier on the card.

1st
7/1
Tote €8.00 €2.20
2nd
0.75L
11/10Fav
€1.10
3rd
2.75L
11/2
4th
1.75L
7/1
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.