Ballyglass Beauty received a supremely confident ride from Charlie O'Dwyer at Listowel. © Photo Healy Racing
Charlie O'Dwyer produced a fine riding performance when delivering Ballyglass Beauty from off the pace to run out an impressive winner of the Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Listowel.
Trained in County Laois by Liam Cusack, the seven-year-old gelding was recording the third success of his career.
Held up off the pace in the initial stages of the race, as Fully Charged took the field along at a good clip, O'Dwyer moved closer on the final circuit, sitting just off the leaders down the back straight.
With Fully Charged coming under pressure, both Foxfire Glow and the strong travelling Call The Tune moved up to take over in front. The latter soon went on apparently full of running under Michael O'Sullivan.
However, all the while, O'Dwyer was inching closer on the eventual winner, getting a dream run up the inside rail to lead before the second last. Staying on strongly once asked to go and win his race, Ballyglass Beauty had six-and-a-half lengths in hand at the line.
Liam Cusack, “He’s a game little horse, he’s not overbig and I thought with a light weight it could suit him.
“I said to Charlie ‘get him settled and creep away — ride him to get a bit of money’ and it’s worked out lovely.
“I walked the track and felt we’d be okay. Most Westerners handle heavy but he’s a small, light enough type of horse and it was a concern. We got away with soft, I don’t think he’d handle heavy.
“He does stay and he was fit. He’s consistent and had no weight on his back.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
