Cal Shine rode his second winner under rules aboard Molly Hall at Clonmel. © Photo Healy Racing
Molly Hall stepped up on anything she had shown to date when making nearly all the running under Cal Shine to record a surprise win in the concluding John Thomas McNamara Series(Q.R.) Handicap at Clonmel.
Sent off at 18/1 given her form figures of 009-90, the Barry Fitzgerald trained five year old was sent straight to the front by her young jockey, barely seeing another rival. A Mere Bagatelle headed the mare for a few strides leaving the back straight but Shine soon had his mount back in the lead.
Keeping on strongly when asked to go and win her race over a furlong out, the daughter of Parish Hall had a comfortable three lengths to spare over Walnut Beach at the line.
It was a second career winner under rules for jockey Cal Shine. He has 14 point-to-point winners to his name and rides out for Eugene O'Sullivan, Louis Archdeacon and Richard O'Brien.
Barry Fitzgerald said: "She ran ok the last day when she got outpaced in Navan and I thought she was going to finish last but she stayed going. I saw this race (over 2m1f) last week and she was nine on the ballot to get in so I was lucky to get her in, especially being lowly-rated.
"She is a hardy devil, relaxed in front and Cal Shine gave her a good ride and did what I asked him to do."
"She'll jump hurdles in time but we'll look for a similar handicap next."
