Physique and Seamie Heffernan© Photo Healy Racing
Former Classic winning jockey Micky Fenton enjoyed his biggest success since taking out his trainers licence when Physique made all under Seamie Heffernan to win the featured Ahonoora Handicap at Galway.
Fenton, who guided the Pam Sly trained Speciosa to success in the 2006 1000 Guineas, has only held a licence for the last two years.
Formerly trained in Britain by Paul and Oliver Cole, Physique has improved with each start since joining the Cork based trainer earlier this year.
Just caught close home when attempting to make all the running at Killarney and Naas on his latest two outings, the four-year-old benefited from having a hood reapplied here.
Smartly away from stalls under Heffernan, the Kingman gelding led into the straight before finding extra close home when strongly challenged by last years winner Dunum and Hurricane Ivor
Carrying the colours of Patsy Sheehan from Killarney, the 9/1 chance held on to score by half-a-length.
Mickey Fenton: "We were moaning that we didn’t win the last day but it’s worked even better today.
“There is one way to ride him and he likes to get on with things. He gets a bit wound up if you try to hold him back and Seamie knows him after riding him the last couple of times. He kept going on the ground.
“That’s just my third winner as a trainer and I’m a bit in shock to be honest.
“It’s amazing for the Sheehan’s who have the Grand Hotel in Killarney. Patsy owns him and took over the horses from his brother John who trained in the UK.
“John rang me one day and said I’m retiring to Ireland and I’ll have a few horses with you. Unfortunately John died of cancer so Patsy took over the horses and I’m sure John is looking down on us today.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
