Canny Tom (right)© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Gordon Elliott completed his second consecutive double at Tramore today but almost more importantly, his Canny Tom under his long suffering partner Keith Donoghue, gained a long overdue first win in the Olde Forge Maiden Hurdle.
Elliott sent out two Davy Russell-ridden winners to the Co Waterford venue yesterday and while Russell was also successful on board today’s earlier winner Potters Point Keith Donoghue steered Canny Tom to success.
The son of Jimble was today having his 26th career start and having finished second on no less than seven occasions in the past 10 months, finally got his head in front where it matters most today, when beating Chateaunef Du Pap by three parts of a length.
Regular rider Donoghue, whose friends number the rather unkindly niteclub-themed Half Two You'll Do Racing Syndicate, later joked “I was nearly getting jocked off him after the last few times and even my little brother Ross, who rides out at Gordon’s, said to put Davy Russell on him! But thankfully they let me ride him.
“It worked out perfectly today and they went a good gallop. He seemed genuine there and did it well. He has a lot of ability and hopefully that might do his confidence a lot of good; he was supposed to go to the Sales on Tuesday but I don’t know what we’ll do now.”
Quotes from Donal Murphy
