Hartys have a winner on first day with joint licence

Whatucallher (15/2) was promoted to first place after just a short head separated the first two home in the Ladbrokes 'Play 1-2-Free' On Football Handicap Hurdle. Walking On Glass (11/1) came through to dispute the lead at the final flight along with Whatucallher, and just got the upper hand on the run-in and held the latter’s renewed effort to pass the post narrowly in front.

The head-on replay showed that Jody McGarvey’s mount had edged right in the closing stages and carried Whatucallher across the track, and the placings of the first two home were reversed following a stewards’ enquiry.

It was a notable success for French rider Nicolas Terrassin, who claims 7lbs and was riding his first winner in Ireland, having finished second on the Robin Des Champs mare at Wexford on her previous outing.

It was also a winner of extra significance for Eddie and Patrick Harty, as today was their first occasion to have runners under their recently-granted joint trainers’ licence. Their first runner Lily Light Foot finished fourth earlier on the card.

Patrick Harty explained: “Today is our first day with a joint licence so it’s a great start but also a little bit bitter-sweet to win it in the stewards’ room as Padraig (Roche, trainer of Walking On Glass) is a neighbour and Jody is a good friend of mine. I’m told she was a deserved winner.

“We have 35 horses riding out and I’m going to the Breeze Up Sales in Newmarket tomorrow hoping to pick up a few more. We’d like to maintain that for the summer and hopefully increase numbers as time goes on.

“We’ll take a nice horse in any discipline but our focus is probably more on the Flat as commercially it is working out for us.”

Earlier, Padraig Roce had said of the first-past-the post Walking On Glass: "He’s a great little horse, he’s some servant. That trip suited him and Jody gave him a great ride. He's high enough in the Flat handicap. He’ll keep going for the summer and hopefully the lads that own him can get back to enjoy him at some of the Festivals.

“He’s a fun horse for the summer.”

Quotes from Alan Magee