RACING:JACKSONSLADY CLAIMED Listed honours in the Grabel Mares Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday. The six-year-old mare was a narrow winner at Bellewstown on her last start in August, but stepped up quite considerably at the Co Kildare circuit.
Barry Geraghty’s partner ghosted into contention three from home before usurping long-time leader Bleakfield Lady after the last. The 8 to 1 shot was not hard pressed to record a six-length verdict.
Chaperoned, the 11 to 8 favourite, was rarely sighted. Successful trainer Philip Dempsey said: “She’s a decent filly. She missed the first, but maybe the ground was the cause of that as she is a super jumper normally.
“Barry was happy enough to let her pop around. We might leave her off until the spring now. She’s a mare that’s kept improving.”
Sword Of Destiny made a very promising start to his hurdling career with a facile victory in the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Maiden Hurdle. Davy Russell never came off the bridle as Noel Meade’s bumper winner eased to a 12-length victory at the chief expense of Minella For Value.
Wither Hills (7 to 1) defied top-weight to record a two-and-three-quarter-length verdict from Monahullan Prince in the Lewis-Crosby Challenge Handicap Hurdle, while the well-fancied Stonemaster (10 to 11 favourite) had to settle for a four-and-a-quarter-length second behind On The Way Out (5 to 1) in the Trinity College Dublin Horseracing Society Beginners Chase.
Ruby Walsh got on the scoresheet when partnering Burnt Oil Babe to victory in the www.punchestown.com For Better Value Handicap Chase. The 4 to 1 favourite did battle with Good Decision up the home straight and came out on top by three-quarters of a length, with Smoking Aces flying at the finish to claim a close third.
Meanwhile, Cathy Gannon has sustained a fractured femur after suffering a bad fall before the opening race at Nottingham yesterday. Gannon was unshipped from Forever Janey on the way to the start for the auction maiden.
The jockey was taken to Queens Medical Centre for treatment, and now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Gannon tweeted: “Gutted I’ve fractured my femur today.”
Racing at Nottingham was delayed for 20 minutes following the incident. Course officials inspected areas of the track before the five-furlong contest was given the go-ahead .
Nine jockeys, including Tony McCoy, were given 10-day suspensions at Wetherby after failing to pull up during a void race.
Confusion reigned during the Betfair Supports Spinal Research Handicap Hurdle, when a yellow flag, which denotes a race should be stopped, was waved by a course official. Ashburton Lad suffered a broken leg and was pulled up on the flat during the first circuit.
Nine jockeys in the race carried on, with Cunning Clarets, ridden by Brian Hughes, first past the post.
The offending riders – Hughes, McCoy, Graham Lee, Danny Cook, Denis O’Regan, Alex Voy, Jonathon Bewley, Paddy Brennan and Brian Toomey – will be sidelined between October 26th to November 4th.
