3 minute read
Fowler inmate shines on hurdles bow.
Lorna Fowler appears to have a smart mare on her hands in the shape of Politesse , who ran out a ready winner of the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle at Thurles.
Following a small delay to racing due to an administrative error regarding the published weights, the contest finally got underway and Politesse, who was a bumper winner last time out, was always in the right position under Conor Orr.
She pulled away to beat odds-on favourite Fakiera by two and three-quarter lengths at 9-4.
Fowler, a former racing television presenter, only trains a small string at her County Meath base and was thrilled to get another winner on the board.
"I'm absolutely delighted. She came out of her bumper no problem and, to be honest, it didn't take very much out of her," said Fowler.
"She's done a lot of schooling, I didn't know if inexperience would tell today, but I think what she's shown today is that she is very talented.
"I'm delighted to have gotten her out today. We could have kept her for bumpers but, especially when you see what is going on in the world, sometimes it is better just to get on with it.
"She's over hurdles now, she's won, and she has her novice status until the Hatton's Grace meeting.
"I always take stock about what our next plan is, but that will have brought her on a ton anyway and it's what she needed.
"I'm delighted for the owners, delighted for everybody and delighted racing has gone ahead.
"Conor has ridden her a lot at home, knows her well, and I think it has to help when they know a horse and know the stride on them. You have to use that stride with her.
"She's clever and at home she always looks at what's she's doing. It was her first time jumping hurdles in a crowd, in a race, and she is smart enough that she would have got it as she went along. That will bring her on so much.
"She's that kind of filly and everything she's done, she's come on and on. She's bright, takes it in and moves to the next step.
"I'm very, very lucky to have her and I know that.
"On everything she's shown us so far, I think we can be a little bit ambitious with her.
"Ground-wise that was lovely for her, on the easier side of soft.
"If, God willing, racing continues we'd definitely give her something else this year. If it doesn't, aren't we lucky we know we have a proper filly on our hands."
Thermistocles (9-1) won a competitive Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase for Joseph O'Brien and JJ Slevin.
"JJ said that the horse learned and he also learned a lot from him the last day," said O'Brien's representative Brendan Powell.
"He said rather than commit him like he did the last time, he just waited today.
"For a novice he jumped very well and it was just nice to see him get his head back in front again."
Well Joey (14-1) was a birthday winner for Darragh O'Keeffe and trainer Paul Stafford in the Duggan Veterinary Handicap Chase.
"I thought he had a place chance today. I just thought maybe the handicapper had a hold of him," said Stafford.
"He won three for us and went up a good slap for those few wins. Then we ran him a couple of times over hurdles thinking he was well handicapped, but he's just obviously a better chaser."
My Newbrook Rose was a 20-1 winner of the BetVictor Handicap Hurdle for Jonathan Moore and Adrian Murray, while the closing bumper was won by Jamie Codd on Stuart Crawford's Major Robinson (13-2).
