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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Well backed Beacon completes Cooper double

Sun 17th Mar 2013, 17:11

Blazing Beacon (nearest) & Beneficial Spirit race away from the lastBlazing Beacon (nearest) & Beneficial Spirit race away from the last
© Photo Healy Racing

After recording three winners at Cheltenham Bryan Cooper continued his excellent run of form as he completed a double at Wexford this afternoon aboard Blazing Beacon (early scored aboard Gates Of Rome in the feature Bettyville Park Veterans Handicap Chase.

Having opened at 11/2 last night with Paddy Powers, the Frank McGuinness trained 11yo was well backed and went from 9/2 into 3/1 clear favourite on-course.

The son of Luso (second winner of the afternoon for that sire after Gates Of Rome) made all the running and despite being joined on the run-in by the Philip Rothwell trained Beneficial Spirit (9/2), he pulled out more close home to win by half a length at the line.

The front pair went fifteen lengths clear of On The Way Out who finished third for John Kiely and Danny Mullins at 7/1 while early morning favourite Lastoftheleaders drifted all the way out to 11/2 and finished sixth.

Both De Valira and Head Waiter were both reluctant to line up at the start and the duo were subsequently withdrawn.

Frank McGuinness, who trains outside Enniscorthy, said afterwards: "He did a tendon when he won here the last time and I didn’t think I could have him ready enough after 505 days off.

"He was always a great jumper and Bryan said had he jumped the last better he would have won handy enough.

"I have him in the Irish Grand National but we’ll see how he comes out of this first. Hopefully he’ll be ok in the morning and he likes good ground."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

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.