Only A Dollar and Sean O Keeffe win the Tote Guarantee Available On Course Tote ie Mares Maiden Hurdle © Photo Healy Racing
Only A Dollar was the subject of some strong late support before getting off the mark at the seventh attempt in the Tote Guarantee Available On-Course & Tote.ie Mares Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel.
The Sean Aherne trained six-year-old had made a promising debut over hurdles at Cork last August, prior to disappointing on two subsequent starts.
However, the daughter of Shirocco indicated that she had races in her when a staying on fourth in a stronger race than this at Limerick over Christmas.
Following two further mid division finishes, the mare, who is owned and bred by Pat O'Shea, delivered on tonight's quicker surface, having been supported from 16/1 to half those odds.
Racing much more prominently than on previous outings, the Sean O'Keeffe ridden mare was clear from two out and but for a mistake at the last, her margin of victory may well have been greater than six lengths.
Sean Aherne said: “She had a bit of experience today and I’d say two miles is as far as she needs to go.
“I made a few mistakes running her over two and a half.
“She settled there today with that kind of ride and got things her own way in front. She was that relaxed he had to wake her up a bit.
“She’s not that ground dependant and could tip away over the summer on those nippy little tracks.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
