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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Champion Jockey O'Brien completes Bellewstown double

Wed 3rd Jul 2019, 21:51

South Sea PearlSouth Sea Pearl
© Photo Healy Racing

Donnacha O'Brien kept up the pressure on Jockeys' Championship leader Colin Keane with a double at Bellewstown today, completing the feat on his father Aidan O'Brien's trained South Sea Pearl in the concluding Tote (Fillies) Maiden.

The daughter of Galileo, returned the 5/4 favourite having drifted markedly late-on to over 2/1 on the exchanges, appeared to run in snatches with Joseph O'Brien resorting to the whip with five furlongs to race.

However South Sea Pearly had plenty left and in the end quickened clear of her rivals to score an easy nine lengths win over Lady Olenna

Afterwards Donnacha O’Brien, earlier successful on Jupiter Road for his brother Joseph O'Brien, said “she doesn’t do a stroke but she stays very well. She had her ears pricked for the last two furlongs.

“She’d go as far as you’d want and is still learning and still raw. Hopefully she’ll learn plenty around a track like that.”

O'Brien now trails Colin Keane, who earlier partnered Ado McGuinness' Highly Approved to win, by nine winners, 48-39.

Quotes from Alan Magee

1st
5/4Fav
Tote €2.90 €1.02
2nd
9L
5/1
€2.00
3rd
4.5L
14/1
€2.40
4th
3.25L
25/1
About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.