18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Another Nice Day for Harty & Roche

Mon 9th Jun 2014, 18:59

Have A Nice Day is driven close home by Leigh Roche Have A Nice Day is driven close home by Leigh Roche
© Photo Healy Racing

The well-backed Have A Nice Day justified favouritism as he took the Ballaghaderreen Handicap under Leigh Roche (third winner in as many days) for Sabrina Harty.

The consistent four-year-old son of Oratorio was available at 11/4 this morning but he opened on-course at just 7/4 before going off the clear 13/8 favourite.

Drawn near the rail in stall two he broke smartly before settling in mid-division, with Erelight and Togoville making the running.

Turning for home the aforementioned duo still held a sizable advantage before the winner came out of the pack with his run from two furlongs out.

He challenged a furlong from home, getting to the front with 100 yards to race before going on to score by three parts of a length.

Erelight ran a big race to finish second under Michael Hussey for Shane Donohoe at 28/1 while Togoville (16/1) was a head back in third under Colin Keane for Pat Martin.

Sabrina Harty, who was also on the mark at the Curragh yesterday when Dalasiri dead-heated, said afterwards: "He is as hard as nails.

"He had two dinners last night and he was still shouting at me for more when I fed the others. Food and sleep he is a typical man!

"He has been a very lucky horse. The race didn’t pan out as we wanted but Leigh gave him a great ride and he is a straightforward horse."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham

1st
13/8Fav
Tote €2.10 €1.02
2nd
0.75L
28/1
€8.80
3rd
0.5L
16/1
€5.80
4th
hd
7/2
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.