Warreedy and Derek O'Connor (left) win from Mickey Shea © Photo Healy Racing
The McHale Orbital Bale Wrapper Handicap Hurdle saw a Derek O’Connor ‘special’ as he gave 11/4 favourite Warreedy a lovely patient steer before pushing him out on the short run-in to beat Mickey Shea (6/1) by a cosy five lengths. Our Majella ( 10/1) was a further seven lengths away in third.
The lightly-raced 11-year-old winner was off the track for over 4 years between 2015 and last year, but got his head in front for the first time at Roscommon last month when winning a handicap chase under a similarly cool ride from Denis O’Regan.
He’s declared to run in a 2m5f handicap hurdle at Galway tomorrow with amateur Eoin Mahon’s 7lbs claim negating the mandatory 5lbs penalty acquired by this success.
Winning trainer Brian McMahon, who was also on lead-up duty, said: "Fingers crossed he’ll turn out again (at Galway tomorrow) as he looks like he did it easy enough there."
McMahon won an All-Ireland minor hurling medal with Clare in 1997 and is based in Spancil Hill, near Ennis.
Winning rider O'Connor said:“I share gallops with Brian (McMahon) and John Staunton (former trainer of Warreedy) rides out for Brian and he also does a bit for me, so he’s still a big part of the whole thing. It’s great for everyone.
"They’ve had great patience with this horse but they’re getting their rewards now. Hopefully he hasn’t done too much there so he should go well again tomorrow."
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
