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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Lights out for favourite backers as 50/1 Rocky obliges

Tue 28th Aug 2018, 19:51

Rocky Court, centre, comes home best in BallinrobeRocky Court, centre, comes home best in Ballinrobe
© Photo Healy Racing

Rocky Court served up a 50/1 surprise in the Hollymount Nursing Home Chase over two miles one in Ballinrobe.

The outsider claimed leader Don't Touch upon touching down after the last and stuck to his task gamely to fend off 4/7 favourite Listen Dear by a length and a quarter. Don't Touch It had every chance when he put in a good jump at the second-last, however he wasn't fluent at the last and soon yielded the initiative to Rocky Court.

Trainer Stephen Mahon said: "He's likely to get a fair hike in the handicap and as I said to the owner beforehand he's giving some of them five pounds when they should be giving him 30.

"It was just the fact that he likes the place and after the year I've had when the horses just weren't right in the last couple of months that we said we'd let him take his chance.

"They were right all year round but they were running a bit flat when the ground was right for them and I panicked a bit with the rain we've had in Galway over the last week or so.

"He's won three around here now and it doesn't matter what the handicapper does to him we're happy.

"I'm delighted for John (Rabbitte, owner, from Athenry).

"Robbie (Colgan) is unbelievable — riding winners at the Curragh, a chase winner there and hurdling winners too."

Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.