Flanagan returns to Tramore & rides a winner

Sean Flanagan bounced back from injury at Tramore today as Noel Meade's stable jockey returned to the scene, and same connections, of his leg break in August to win the Tramore Supporters Club Maiden Hurdle on Cusp Of Carabelli

Triple Grade 1 winning jockey Flanagan recorded 59 winners last season and while he began this season smartly with 20 wins by mid-August, received a leg break on the final day of the August festival at the Co Waterford venue on August 19 when falling from ill-fated Icelip.

Today Flanagan was reunited with Icelip's same trainer David O'Brien, owners the Fastey For Fun Syndicate, on Cusp Of Carabelli and the pair held on well for a half length win over Licklighter

Winning trainer David O'Brien later said "he was a weak four-year-old and I always thought there was something in him when he'd get stronger and thank God I was rewarded.

“The boys (the Fastey For Fun Syndicate) lost Icelip here the same day that Cusp Of Carabelli finished second.

“In fairness in his two handicaps he had two good runs and I always say a couple of runs in handicaps are needed.

"Hopefully he should improve and he'll make a nice chaser next year. Barry Geraghty said it was too quick for him in Gowran, so I'd say when he gets stronger he will go on softer.

“I had his mother (Lingual Cusp) and she won three point-to-point's but got injured when she ran on the track.”

In dentistry, the cusp of carabelli is a mini cusp that forms on upper permanent first molars (teeth).

Quotes from Donal Murphy