Donal Murphy
Seven makes it five in-a-row at Wexford
Double Seven (right) pictured on his way to victory in the Munster National earlier this month
© Photo Healy Racing
Double Seven made it five wins in-a-row as he took the feature at Wexford this afternoon, the Listed M W Hickey Memorial Chase.
The JP McManus owned seven-year-old son of Milan won three handicaps at Kilbeggan over the summer, with the highlight being the Midlands National in July.
He then went on to take the Munster National at Limerick earlier this month, and he was well-backed to make it five in-a-row today, going from 7/4 to clear 5/4 favourite on-course.
Settled in third, the victorious bay gelding, took closer order from three out.
He made a slight mistake at the second last, and he was soon ridden into second.
He hit the front before the last, and he kept on well from there to score comfortably by five and a half lengths. Ballinahow Lady (16/1) ran a cracker to finish second after she attempted to make all under John Cullen for David O’Brien, while Sweeney Tunes finished a further three and three parts of a length back in third under Andrew Lynch for Paul Nolan.
Martin Brassil said afterwards: "I thought this was a good opportunity for him today as he was well in with a couple of horse rated below him. He was getting a five pound allowance for being a novice.
"He will have a little break now until the spring. He has been improving all year and his confidence was on a high after Limerick.
"There are lots of options for him in the spring. He could possibly be an Irish National horse and there are plenty of other handicaps he could go for."