Stealthy Tom (left) and Simon Torrens beating Singing Banjo© Photo Healy Racing
Stealthy Tom got the measure of 13-year-old Singing Banjo on the run-in of the opening ARKequine P.P. Hogan Cross Country Steeplechase in Punchestown.
Banks Specialist Singing Banjo jumped for fun across the 28 obstacles but it was the final one that caught him out.
He found plenty off the front for Barry John Walsh particularly when pressed by Stealthy Tom racing to the final fence, however, he was less than fluent over it and Stealthy Tom landed on a good stride to hit the front.
Stealthy Tom (8/1) kept on well to beat a rallying Singing Banjo (7/2f) by a length and a quarter with Artic Pearl staying on in third at 80/1 for Conor Brassil.
It was a sixth straight win in the race for trainer Enda Bolger and he said afterwards:-
“He ran a lovely race here in the spring. I was giving the other two a better chance because he hadn't run since last August in Killarney.
“He got a lovely ride from Simon (Torrens) and he was nice and patient on him. He's only seven so he's going to be a nice horse for this game for the future.
“I was happy I had him in today because the other two boys underperformed. He's found his niche so we'll stick with these with him.”
When asked if the winner could go to Cheltenham he added:- “We'll see, I'll talk to the boss and see what they want to do — whether the experience would do him good.
“Definitely all roads will lead to the La Touche with him and he would go on nicer ground as well which is a plus for the spring meeting.
“Cheltenham is a pretty hot race and we have to see where Galvin is going to appear as well. We're only rated 105 but he excels over those.
“He hadn't run for a while so we'll see how he comes out of this and make a decision. The entries don't close for a couple of weeks anyway. He'd be the only one for it.”
