Grooveykindoflove scores to give O'Keeffe double at Thurles Having been amongst the winners earlier on the card, jockey Darragh O'Keeffe completed a double when Grooveykindoflove opened her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Thurles. Beaten less than a length on her two most recent starts, the Henry De Bromhead trained mare got her head in front for the first time at the fifth attempt. Sent off 1/1f, the five-year-old tracked leader Paudie's Wings for much of the contest before being left in front after the latter jumped badly left two out. Pushed along when strongly pressed by Reina Del Mar on the run to the final flight, Grooveykindoflove was getting the better of that duel when the former made a bad mistake which ended her hopes. O'Keeffe was left well clear on the eventual winner who kept on well to score by eight-and-a-half lengths from Fillusin. The winning rider commented: "It was ideal for another horse to make the running for her and I felt in Roscommon, we weren't going quick and that she wasn't the most natural of front runners. Today she jumped really well and when the others came to her, she picked up well to the line. "It is easy to say now that the cheekpieces helped but they did and having something to aim at helped. It is good to get her head in front and hopefully can progress on from it. I would be keeping her up in trip rather than back, as she seemed to enjoy it today." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
