Letsbeclearaboutit and Joey Dunne beats Harry Alonzo (Pat Taaffe)© Photo Healy Racing
Letsbeclearaboutit justified odds of 4/7 in the Jetaway.ie At Arctic Tack Stud (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, the finale on day one of the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse.
Gavin Cromwell ’s now three time bumper scorer had Joey Dunne in the plate for the first time, and on this livelier surface he again got things done from the front.
Second in the Grade Two at the Dublin Racing Festival behind subsequent Champion Bumper silver medallist, Kilcruit, the successful Flemensfirth gelding was runner-up previous to that to Cheltenham hero, Sir Gerhard, at Navan.
Today Harry Alonzo kept him right up to his work, a length and a half eventually splitting them. The mare Manisanda ran a huge race on debut to finish third, two and a half lengths back.
Cromwell’s assistant Feidhlim Cunningham said:- “Joey kept it fairly straight-forward. It was workmanlike but he said he was always doing enough.
“That's his third bumper win, he'll be off on his holidays now and we'll look forward to him next year. Fingers crossed he's a right one.
“He's a lovely type, his full-brother has already won a couple of hurdles in England.
“On the form of his bumpers you'd be hoping he'll be at the top level over hurdles.”
The Stewards interviewed Mr Pat Taaffe, rider of Harry Alonzo, concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race.
Evidence was heard from the rider concerned.
In his evidence Mr Taaffe accepted that he was in breach of the permitted number of hits under the whip guidelines but had exceeded the limit as he had a live chance.
Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that Mr Pat Taaffe was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using his whip with excessive frequency.
Having taken his previous record into consideration, the Stewards suspended Mr Pat Taaffe for 2 racedays.
(GC & EM)
