Racing: Sheer delight as Sheer Tenby wins
Aidan O’Brien’s apprentice Colm O’Donoghue recorded his biggest success to date and moved back to the top of the table as 20-1 chance Sheer Tenby landed the IR£100,000 McDonogh EBF Handicap at Galway tonight.
Trained in Tramore by retired jump jockey Paul Roche, 27, Sheer Tenby has proved a tremendous investment for the nine members of his local Halfway House syndicate on whose behalf Irish agent Gerry Hogan purchased the horse at Newmarket for just 5,000 guineas.
O’Donoghue was recording his 16th win of the season, and Roche his 11th since switching to training, as the son of Tenby held the late surge of the 1998 scorer Free To Speak with Scottish Memories finishing best of the remainder under the stand rails.
O’Donoghue is now one ahead of the currently suspended Pat Cosgrave and two in front of Tadhg O’Shea in his quest to become champion apprentice and got a dream split behind a wall of horses into the home straight to seize what proved a decisive advantage.
The outcome was a relief to the bookmakers following the successes of the well-supported favourites Get It On and Saranac Lake for Curragh trainers Christy Roche and Dermot Weld.
Get It On stormed clear after the second-last in the Albatros Maiden Hurdle to initiate a double for owner J P McManus, trainer Roche and jockey Paul Moloney who were also on the mark with Hardiman (9-2) in the Albatros Chase.
Dermot Weld had his third success of the Summer Festival so far as champion jockey Pat Smullen dominated the McDonogh Fillies Maiden in the closing stages aboard the American-bred in the colours of Bert Firestone.
‘‘She wasn’t totally at ease on this track, but her talent won it for her. Saranac Lake will now go for the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on August 19,’’ said Weld.
