Foley doubles up at Cork on Iva Batt Shane Foley completed a quick Wednesday afternoon double aboard Iva Batt in the Cork Racecourse Handicap. Foley landed the previous heat for Ken Condon on Harmony Rose, and the spin on Iva Batt came for Keith Watson. The Watson team travelled down Iva Batt from their County Armagh base, for owners the Not A Bad Idea Partnership. Colours well known through winning breeder and former trainer John Nicholson, the yellow and blue were carried home a neck to the good from fellow Northern Irish runner The Highway Rat. The Highway Rat was just held, with a nose to Screen Siren in third. Well-backed favourite Wood Ranger could do no better than sixth of the eight. Iva Batt’s half-brother Another Batt landed a gamble for the David Barron yard as recently as last Saturday at Thirsk. "Dad has been in hospital since the start of the week and is due for surgery at 3pm so that'll give him something to cheer when he is back,” said the trainer’s son Marshall. "She is from a good family, plenty of winners come out of them and we'll either go for a Premier Handicap or a Listed race in Ayr has been the plan all season. "The ground today didn't suit at all but we just rolled the dice as we were fourth to St Mark's Basilica (on soft) and that reads ok now! She wants quicker-the-better ground." The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Wood Ranger, trained by W. McCreery, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to have pulled a right hind shoe but otherwise was post race normal. A.J. Slattery, rider of Linda Barrett trained by J.A.Stack, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was uneasy in the stalls and jumped slowly as a result. (TW & EM)
