Jail shows his true colours

John McConnell saddled a welcome winner when Get Out Of Jail on his first start in this sphere, with a tongue-strap deployed for the initial occasion, popped up at odds of 25/1 in the Kilkenny Handicap at Gowran under Gary Carroll.

The prowess of Authorized's sons and daughters, on testing ground, is well established at this stage, and this four-year-old gelding led two furlongs out. He asserted from over a furlong out for a four and a half length success over the gambled-on joint favourite, Hurricane Sky

"We always thought he was a nice horse but he was very weak as a three-year-old. He loved that ground and he'll make a good jumper," predicted McConnell.

The County Meath-based handler went on: "Those Authorizeds are starting to do well over jumps and he'll probably end up there. The way he won there he might win another one on the Flat before going jumping.

"We might send him to the July Sales in Newmarket. He had been working well, we always thought a lot of him but as a three-year-old he was just very immature.

"The man who started the Rockview Racing Club (winning owners) would have celebrated his birthday today. William Richardson was his name and he was from Balbriggan."

(DM & EM)