Blackwitch gets Macra/Journal ball rolling

Members of the Macra Na Feirme/The Journal Club were in full voice at Gowran today as Blackwitch Woman secured the club's first win, in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Blackwitch Woman eventually moved through to lead well inside the final furlong and did have to survive a subsequent stewards' enquiry, following an incident with the third placed Noble Galileo two furlong out.

Afterwards winning trainer Tom Hogan revealed “the club (Macra Na Feirme/The Journal Club) include employees of the Farmer's Journal and Irish Field newspapers and members of Macra Na Feirme and this is their first winner. ”

He added “they've had a few jump horses in training but things didn't work out with them and I was contacted two months ago to try to get them into the winner's enclosure and thankfully things have worked out!”

“Blackwitch Woman was an expensive yearling purchase and the Club lease her – she surprised us when second at Cork recently and I've no immediate plans for her from here.”