Claire and Tim Doyle with granddaughter Ella McCurtin and Sean Bowen after Simply Sideways won the Nire Valley Handicap.© Photo Healy Racing
Simply Sideways continued the excellent recent form of trainer Tim Doyle when running out a comfortable winner of the Nire Valley Handicap at Clonmel.
A dual winner at Gowran and Naas earlier in the season, the six-year-old had been somewhat unlucky in running on more than one occasion of late.
In a change of tactics this afternoon, the Sir Prancealot mare was ridden much closer to the pace by jockey Sean Bowen.
Travelling well just off the heels of leader Dark Note entering the straight, Bowen pressed on over two furlongs out and had enough in reserve to hold the late run of the well backed Eclat De Lumiere
It was a third winner of the week for trainer Tim Doyle who had a double at Tipperary on Sunday.
He reported: "She hasn't run a bad race all year and is a cracker. That's her third win this year and hasn't been out of the money. My worry was stepping up in grade and whether she would be able to travel with them but Sean (Bowen) said she was at her ease and travelled all the way.
"The extra distance seemed to suit her and she goes on any ground.
"Sean is great value for his 7lb claim and is a smashing rider. He has now had six rides for us and four winners. He is doing us a lot of favours and this is his local track and he received a good reception.
"My horses have that little edge at the moment and are running great."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
