RACING: GALWAY JOCKEY Derek O'Connor recently secured his eighth point-to-point riders championship and can celebrate with a Ballinrobe victory on the in-form Uncle Taffy this evening.
Tony Martin is giving Uncle Taffy a quick reappearance in one of tonight’s amateur handicap hurdles and that’s hardly surprising considering the horse trotted up at Gowran on Sunday.
That completed a hat-trick for Uncle Taffy and he carries just a 6lb penalty here over a course and distance at which he won a month ago. Johnny Murtagh was successful for the Aga Khan at the last Ballinrobe fixture and can repeat the dose in the nine furlong fillies maiden aboard Dawariya whose debut third to Claoimh Solais reads very well in today’s context.
Charles O’Brien was out of luck at Royal Ascot with Bewitched but can regain winning form in the opening two races where the JP McManus colours can come out on top. Hired Hand won over hurdles at Roscommon last time and could get the better of Long Strand in the maiden while Apache Drums can appreciate a longer trip in the following handicap.
