Royal Chief (farside), The Bold Beckey and Taken Twice (nearest) jump the last together © Photo Healy Racing
After finishing second, third and fourth on his three earlier ride this afternoon Brian O’Connell got a deserved win to his name as he partnered Taken Twice to victory in the Casey Concrete Gorey Handicap Hurdle.
The Michael McDonagh owned and trained eight-year-old was placed at Ballinrobe and Navan last month but he could only manage a well-beaten eighth on his last start at Tipperary.
Having opened at 7/1 on-course this afternoon he was sent off at 6’s and was settled in mid-division on the outer.
He improved into a closer fourth before the third last and was ridden after the next.
He jumped the last in a dispute of the lead and soon hit the front, keeping on well from there to score by three and three parts of a length. Shabra Charity kept on nicely to finish second at 14/1 under Jonathan Moore for Anthony McCann while Royal Chief (8's to 7/1) was a further head back in third under Adam O’Neill for Eoin Doyle. The Bold Beckey was sent off the 5/2 favourite but she could only manage fourth under Shane Crimin for TJ Nagle. Stoughan Cross (25's in a place this morning and from 8/1 to 6/1 on-course) was the gamble of the race but he finished a well-beaten ninth.
Brian O’Connell said afterwards: “He had a disappointing run the last day over three miles at Tipperary, we rode him a little bit too handy the same day. He was back to two and a half miles today.
"Good ground is the key to him, he had a good run at Ballinrobe and also at Navan. Everything went his way today and he got into a nice rhythm."
