Theo's Well after 'bad carrot' episode

Easy-to-back even money favourite Theos Well overcame a stomach ulcer caused by, of all things, 'gone off carrots' when winning the Great Value Social Package Maiden Hurdle at Cork today for colourful trainer Michael Winters and jockey Jonathan Burke.

The son of Tamure was an uneasy favourite all day and having opening at 4/7 this morning, drifted throughout the day and on track, to his eventual even money starting price.

However in the race, Theos Well proved far too strong for his 10 rivals, eventually scoring by three and three quarters of a length over Cliffside Park leaving Winters his opportunity to explain the 'drift'.

The Grade 1 and Galway Hurdle winning trainer stated “he worked at the Curragh the other day with Knockanuss, my horse that was second in a bumper at Tipperary, and he beat Theos Well, who weakened at the furlong pole.

“I put it that down to bad carrots as we give our horses eight to ten bags of carrots every week and with the preservatives, some had an off colour.

“We did blood tests and nothing viral came up but there was something of that nature and he had a stomach ulcer - I had to bite my lip as the race was there for the taking, if he was right.

“He likes good ground and a flat track and had a lot going for him and Jonathan gave him a great ride and he jumped great. He could come back here on the Monday after Galway for a hurdle next or else he could run in the GPT (carltonhotels.ie Amateur Handicap) Handicap Galway.”

By Tom Weekes