Pound A Stroke and Gary Noonan© Photo Healy Racing
Pound A Stroke swapped his regular cheek pieces for some first-time blinkers and it proved a wise decision by connections as the gelding provided Gary Noonan with his first winner as a professional when making all in the Kilsheelan Novice Handicap Chase at Clonmel.
There was very mixed messages in the market for the eight-year-old who was backed this morning from 14/1 into 9/2 but then proved friendless on track and went off an 11/1 chance.
Young Dev looked a threat early in the straight but spoiled his chance by jumping badly left at the final two fences.
The Eoin McCarthy-trained Pound A Stroke galloped on strongly on the run-in for Noonan and had four and a half lengths to spare at the line.
Bitsandpieces was 16 lengths adrift in third.
Noonan said, "That's my first winner as a professional and I turned last Christmas. I had ridden one winner on the track as an amateur and a couple of point to point winners.
"The horse did it lovely. He has loads of ability but has his quirks.
"I'm with Paddy Neville and also ride out for Eoin. I can claim from 9st10lbs and Gary Cribbin is my agent. He has been working hard for me in the past few weeks and I'd like to thank him."
McCarthy said, "Gary is good and solid and is a rider who will go places during the summer. He is in Newcastlewest and comes in to me one morning a week riding work so he is a big help to me.
"This horse gave me my first winner as a trainer and if he is fit and well he'll never let you down. He needed blinkers to help him concentrate over fences as he is a little bit bottley early-on. He won't be sneaking over to Chelteham next week!
"I've 17 riding out and am busy away thank god and have loads of local support."
(TW & AM)
