Wish scores for Keane & McConnell

The John McConnell trained Sheilas Wish won the Apprentice Handicap on this card last year, and she followed up twelve months on by taking the Visit The New www.wexfordraces.ie Handicap.

Ridden by Colin Keane, the five-year-old chestnut daughter of Hawk Wing tracked the leaders in the early stages and she was third at the halfway stage. Something Graceful (11/2) kicked for home two furlongs out, as Sheilas Wish travelled well in behind and moved into second a furlong from home.

She was soon ridden, keeping on best inside the final furlong to just get up close home, beating recent course and distance winner Something Graceful by half a length. Bensoon for Mick Halford and Shane Foley, kept on strongly in the straight but he couldn’t peg back the front two and he had to settle for third, a half a length back at the odds of 11/2.

The winner was returned at 4/1, with Magnolia Ridge for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen going off the 2/1 favourite.

That one attempted to make all, but he had no more to offer when headed around two furlongs out, eventually finishing fourth.

John McConnell said afterwards: "We thought she got to the front too soon the last day even though she won, so we said we'd produce her later today.

"She is very, very genuine and I thought a genuine horse would win this race.

"I was touch and go about whether or not to run her. I said she wasn’t running on Wednesday night, but I took a chance and thank God the rain came when it did.

"She is improving and we might have a crack at something better now, maybe with a low weight on her back."