Arena gets bumper in stewards room There was a thrilling finish to the Littleton Flat Race at Thurles with Arena Seven getting the race following a stewards enquiry having just failed by a nose after meeting some interference. The Gillian O'Callaghan-trained gelding was an unconsidered 33/1 chance on his debut here but made rapid progress from rear approaching the straight under Paul Bannon. Tom Hogan's Cant Wait (20/1) led over a furlong out for Declan Queally but drifted left under pressure across Arena Seven. The latter finished well to get within a nose at the line and would have been up in another stride or two. The placings of the first two were reversed after the enquiry, with Bobo Mac a length and a half back in third. Queally was cautioned by the stewards for careless riding after taking his good record into account. Skryne amateur Bannon (22) has been with O'Callaghan for about a year, and rode his first winner for the yard on Mental Strength in a Fairyhouse bumper back in October. Hogan said before the outcome of the enquiry, "She is a proper mare. The dam was placed in the Royal Bond and she'll be a black-type mare too. "She had a stone bruise yesterday and fair dues to the lads in the yard who poulticed it and stood her in salt water last night and she was ok this morning. She'll go jumping hurdles next season." (TW & AM)
