On a day of shocks at Clonmel yesterday afternoon, it was no surprise to see the Jackpot pool of 1097.00 carried over to the next meeting at the course on Novemeber 2nd.
Biggest shock of all came in the maiden hurdle with the 50/1 shot Bell Star gaining a rather fortuitous victory. Oyez was sent off a well-supported 5/2 second favourite here, and under Timmy Murphy set out to make all. Indeed he was clear and already looked an assured winner when crashing out at the third last.
This left the way open for the long absent winner and Larry Hurley to race to a 4 1/2L win for trainer Leslie Young who might have been expected to double up in the closing mares novice chase.
With favourite Ask The Accountant jumping violently to the left all the way (burst a blood vessel), it appeared to leave the way open for second market choice, Young's Fiddlers Bar.
However she couldn't match the front runner, Rose Perk and Shay Barry. Joy for winning handler Eamonn Sheehy was tempered by the fact he lost Mullahoran who came to grief at the third last in the same contest.
Eamonn Tyrell was an absentee at the sales and missed seeing his No Question battle to a shock 20/1 success in the mile and a half handicap. The winner who paid 116.20 on the tote was providing in-form apprentice Michael Hussey with another winner.
Blinkered for the first time, Sharesha held outstanding claims in the opening fillies maiden. Odds-on punters weren't shy about getting involved, forcing her price from 2/7 to 2/5. Those who invested never really had any worries as Johnny Murtagh elected to make all and the daughter of Ashkalani strode to an easy six length success. The winning rider attributed the ease in the ground and the blinkers to have helped her cause.
Murtagh again teamed up with boss, John Oxx for Parshawar in the following event. Dispatched an even shorter price at 1/4, this time those taking the odds were to have their fingers burned. The Aga Khan-owned gelding couldn't live with Sincere who led a furlong and a half from home and raced to a two win for Michael Grassick and Niall McCullagh. The favourite was subsequently found to have lost a shoe and been struck into.
Galway Blade hadn't secured a racecourse win since taking a juvenile maiden hurdle at Plumpton back in 1996. However a typically confident Paul Carberry didn't let such a fact put him off, collaring the gallant front-running Autumn Mist away from the second last in the handicap chase for a length and a half win.
Niall Madden saddled the J P McManus-owned Team Allstar to a length and a half win in the handicap hurdle. Partnered by Conor O'Dwyer, the 9/2 favourite got to the front between the last two and despite being awkward at the final flight the four-year-old never looked likely to be denied on the run in.
