Hello Sweetie puts in a fine leap for Keith Donoghue© Photo Healy Racing
Hello Sweetie took advantage of a good opportunity when making all to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase at Clonmel.
The field was reduced to just six runners with a third of the original nine declared withdrawn due to the going (officially good), most notably Missy Tata who was set to go off at prohibitive odds of around 1/5.
Keith Donoghue ’s mount was pressed by Lily Yeats at the second last but the 5/2 chance, already the winner of a Cork mares maiden hurdle this season, stayed on well to assert on the run-in.
The seven-year-old, one of three currently in training with Pat Collins near Newry, had four and a half lengths to spare at the line.
Vicky’s Charm could find no extra from two out to finish another three lengths adrift in third.
Collins said, "We had a bit of luck that the favourite came out but she jumped like a buck and that's her game.
"Sean (his son) wants to have a winner at Down Royal, so she'll run there in a hurdle race next week."
(TW & AM)
