Toms Courage and Martin Burke© Photo Healy Racing
Toms Courage took his most recent form figures to ‘121’ when finishing with a flourish to upstage Bold Emperor late in the Follow Kilbeggan On Instagram Handicap Hurdle.
Bold Emperor is searching for a first win since March 2017 and that famine looked as though it was coming to an end when he went for home in the straight.
However he couldn’t fend off Toms Courage on the run-in. For the Burke siblings from Thurles, owner Elaine, trainer John, and rider Martin, the successful Dubai Destination gelding got it done by a length and a half.
Well-backed favourite Powerful Ted was nine lengths back in third.
“He’s after turning a corner this year. He fractured his knee last season after finishing third in Cork and was out for a good while,” said the winning jockey.
“We always thought a lot of him and I’d say he’ll be fairly good when he goes over fences.
“The ground doesn’t seem to matter to him as he’s won on heavy and now good ground.”
The Stewards fined Peter Fahey, trainer, €65 for failing to fit a tongue tie to Sadies Trix prior to entering the parade ring.
(AM & EM)
