Pat Crowley partnered his first winner since joining the professional ranks when Glacial Queen triumphed in a thrilling finish to the Mitsubishi McCarthy TV & Electrical Hurdle at Cork yesterday evening.
Crowley (24), who recorded 20 wins as an amateur and turned professional at the Killarney Festival last month, got the John Kiely-trained mare up in the final strides to deny Island Song by a head. 'She is a consistent sort, and it was her good jumping that really helped her. She's a chaser in the making', said Kiely afterwards.
Gordon Power and Seamus Heffernan were both in trouble for their use of the whip in the five furlongs Charleville Handicap. Power partnered the fast-finishing Back In Twenty, who got to within a head of Queen Sarabi at the line. He was given a two days suspension (August 26-27) for using his whip with excessive frequency, while Heffernan was given the same ban for excessive force aboard fourth placed Delvin Flyer.
Heffernan was in the limelight for a better reason half-an-hour earlier when successfully partnering Paris Express in the Fermoy 2YO Race. Frances Crowley's charge led two furlongs out to beat Ceremonious by a length, and may be aimed at the Goffs Autumn Bonus back here next month.
The Piltown trainer had contrasting fortune with her other runner in this six furlongs event, as the Colm O'Donoghue-ridden Treataguest dived left from his stall one draw and straight through the plastic railing.
Galway Breeze will go chasing soon according to trainer Arthur Moore after justifying favouritism in the Sand & Gravel Products Maiden Hurdle. The six-year-old gelding led early in the straight for Conor O'Dwyer, and kept on strongly on the run-in to beat Indian Tom by three lengths.
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