FOXWOOD MACGOWAN SPRINGS 10/1 SHOCK IN CON MURPHY DECIDER AT LIMERICK

Peter Farrell

There was a handsome €3,300 on offer to the winner of the Con Murphy Bookmakers A1 525 at Limerick on Saturday night and a major shock ensued as Foxwood McGowan made every yard of the running at odds of 10/1.

Owned by Denis McGrath, Foxwood McGowan was no stranger to producing big performances, having posted rapid times at venues such as Thurles and Galway in the past. However, he arrived at the decider having failed to seriously threaten in the earlier rounds, despite running with credit in defeat. As a result, he was sent off the 10/1 outsider, with Scattery Beauty and Ballinabola Otis installed as 5/2 joint favourites.

Given the make-up of the race, the break was always likely to prove decisive and Foxwood McGowan had shown blistering early pace in the preliminaries, often recovering from less-than-ideal starts. Ideally housed in trap two, he chose the perfect moment to get everything right at the boxes, pinging the lids to comfortably lead on the run-up. Showing his customary early speed, the son of Bockos Jon Jo – Bockos Brandy held a narrow advantage into the back straight, with Ballinabola Otis and the improving Zenith Efendi tracking him closely. The latter displayed eye-catching pace at this stage to move into second and appeared to be closing on the leader approaching the penultimate bend. However, McGrath’s charge quickly shut the door on Zenith Efendi before stretching clear once again, opening up a two-length advantage around the final bends. Always firmly in control as the winning line approached, Foxwood McGowan continued to assert in the closing stages and drew right away to score by an impressive four lengths. Ballinabola Otis filled the runner-up spot, with Zenith Efendi claiming third. The winning time was 28.83 and congratulations are due to Denis McGrath on a terrific performance on the night that mattered most.

PIXIE ARRIVES LATE

Elsewhere on the card, two further sweepstake finals were decided, the first being the Jeremiah and Damien Roche A3 575.

Carrigmore Lizzy went to traps as the 6/4 favourite, but it was Gortkelly Pixie, owned by Andrew Murray, who caused a 4/1 upset to record back-to-back victories, having also landed her semi-final seven days earlier. Drawn in red, ‘Pixie’ broke on terms and held her inside line well to turn in second behind the favourite. At that stage, Carrigmore Lizzy had established a three-length lead, but Murray’s runner began to apply the pressure around the bottom two bends. Edging ever closer on the long run for home, the daughter of Priceless Jet kept plenty in reserve before striking late to hit the front in the dying strides and claim the €900 first prize. Carrigmore Lizzy had to settle for second, beaten a length, while Company Man finished fast from off the pace to take third, just a head further back. The winning time was 31.91.

HARDY PERFORMANCE FROM KEVINSFORT

Kevinsfort Hardy had been in fine form prior to Christmas and it came as little surprise to see the John Byrne-trained runner installed as the even-money favourite for the Happy New Year A2 525.

With a €900 first prize also on offer, Kevinsfort Hardy was bidding to maintain his flawless record in the competition and he made a bright start from a plum draw in trap one, breaking well to hold his inside line and lead. Holding a narrow advantage into the back straight, the son of Malachi – Kevinsfort Tiger, owned by the Monday Night Five Club Syndicate, had built up a two-length lead by the midway point but was coming under sustained pressure from the improving Snuggie Tasha in second. With everything still to play for approaching the winning line, ‘Hardy’ dug deep to repel the persistent challenge of Snuggie Tasha, crossing the line a length to the good. The winning time was 29.29.