Double delight for in-form Doneraile jockey Darragh O'Keeffe
Our Uncle Jack and Darragh O'Keeffe win the Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle. Picture: Healy Racing
Darragh O'Keeffe has made a stellar start to the New Year.
He rode a treble at Tramore on New Year's Day and while he'd only one ride at Cork last Saturday, he recorded a wide-margin victory on Rebel Budz.
In attritional conditions at Clonmel on Thursday, he'd a double on his only two mounts. He is currently engaged in a tremendous tussle with Jack Kennedy for the Irish National Hunt Jockeys title but Kennedy was also on the scoresheet with Santo Sospir in the featured Munster Hurdle.
O'Keeffe initiated his double on Radiator Springs in what looked an above-average Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle. The Cheltenham Festival winner Dinoblue had won this very same maiden hurdle in 2022.
The well-backed Likealightswitch tried to make all and kicked for touch two out. She pecked slightly at the penultimate flight and made a horlicks of the last, costing her real momentum. Radiator Springs took full advantage and the 15/8 joint favourite stayed on strongly to win by a length and a quarter.
Shoda, the other 15/8 joint favourite, finished a length further back in third. She would prefer better ground. The winner is owned by the enthusiastic South Ros Racing Syndicate and landed a point-to-point for Colin Bowe at Tattersalls last October. She’d run a blinder on her first run under rules when third in a red-hot Mares Maiden Hurdle at Naas in December.
The runner-up in Naas was the Cheltenham Bumper winner Bambino Fever. Radiator Springs certainly franked the Naas form in no uncertain fashion. Incidentally, Bambino Fever runs in Fairyhouse this Saturday with Townend aboard. She's currently 7/2 for the Mares Novice Hurdle in March which will surely shorten if she wins today.
O'Keeffe completed his Clonmel double aboard Our Uncle Jack for trainer Martin Fitzgerald. The Doneraile jockey made practically all the running in the Lisronagh Handicap Hurdle.
He already had his opponents in trouble at the second last. Ultimately, he stretched clear approaching the final flight for a facile 23-length victory in what turned into a procession.
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