It is a busy Tuesday for domestic flat action with a notable runner in Killarney being the former Troytown Chase winner The Jam Man who has his first start for Co Wicklow trainer, Philip Rothwell.
The ten-year-old still races in the colour of owner Ronan McNally, who trained him for eight of his eleven career victories, including the 2020 Troytown.
The switch to Rothwell has taken place ahead of McNally’s appeal against a record twelve-year ban imposed on him for breaches of integrity rules, scheduled for Monday week.
The ban prevents the Co Armagh businessman from going racing or working in a training yard and was imposed in January, a month after an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board referrals panel delivered its verdict on an investigation into the improvement in form of a number of McNally’s horses.
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It judged that McNally’s offences were “prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horse racing” and that he’d treated the rules of racing in a “cavalier manner.” McNally was also ordered to pay €50,000 towards the costs of the case.
Earlier this month, trainer David Dunne, who was also embroiled in the McNally case, lost his appeal against the severity of a two-year suspension and a €5,000 fine.
He was found guilty of conspiring with McNally to conceal the latter’s ownership of a number of horses in Dunne’s card for a period of time.
The Jam Man lines up for a two-mile handicap in Killarney where an interesting runner in an earlier mile maiden looks to be Fernao.
A four-year-old son of Frankel owned by Ballylinch Stud, and a half-brother to the 2017 Marois winner Al Wukair, Fernao made a belated debut at Limerick last month.
Supported in the betting market, his inexperience was obvious with a slow start although he ran on notably well in the closing stages to finish third to Ganbe Veloci.
Paddy Twomey has a good record in Killarney and better ground could help his Impact Warrior get her head in front after a disappointing return to action in a Guineas Trial last month.
Champion jockey Colin Keane rides in all seven races at Sligo and can get the meeting off to a good start in the opening claimer with Inflection Point.
Last year’s Galway festival winner Sir Antonio carries the colours of Spanish international footballer Alvaro Odriozola and drying ground could see him score again in the West by defying topweight in a later handicap.
