Hands On and Mark Walsh (near side)© Photo Healy Racing
Owner J.P. McManus followed up yesterday's English Cesarewitch success with another win today, as Hands On (9/2) provided trainer Enda Bolger with his first three-year-old winner in Cork's Mallow Maiden Hurdle.
From a McManus-pedigree which stretches beyond 1994 Coral Cup winner Time For A Run, Hands On was Bolger's second ever three-year-old runner at Listowel last month and today improved to score under Mark Walsh.
The Flemensfirth-gelding met some traffic in the home straight but quickened well to lead on the run-in and beat Eagle Fang by a half-length.
Bolger reported “he is out of a Galileo mare and isn't very big so it was an easy choice to go three-year-old hurdling.
“He was small and doesn't look like an Enda Bolger-horse so maybe nobody wanted him! I wouldn't be throwing 12st7lb on him or anything but there is an engine there, which is the main thing.”
He added “it was no harm that he met some trouble in running as it will make a man of him and he is a great little leaper.
“He was still green, he pulled hard early on, but is learning his job all the time. Let's hope it is onwards and upwards with him. We'll keep educating him away and follow around in a three-year-old winners' of one.
“He must be Flemensfirth's first three-year-old winner too.”
Owner McManus was successful in yesterday's Newmarket Cesarewitch with the Emmet Mullins-trained The Shunter.
