Blackmore wins again in another superb week of racing for Tipperary jockeys and trainers

It was a hectic week for Tipperary race goers and this coming week will be bigger and better again hopefully! The last seven days have been action packed from a racing point of view and many Tipperary racing households expereinced victory. Moyne amateur ride David Doyle rode his first winner for an “outside” stable and his first winner over fences when teaming up with the Martin Hassett-trained Soloman Lane in the John Thomas McNamara Series Handicap Chase at Leopardstown on Monday.

Doyle had previously ridden three winners on the racecourse for his father Tim but his career took a significant step forward as he brought the John Dwan-owned 9/4 favourite from off the pace to record a two and a quarter-length success over the Denise O’Shea-trained Baldur’s Gate. The jockey has now ridden winners at Cork, Galway, Punchestown and Leopardstown.

Carrick-on-Suir trainer Mark Cahill and Gortnahoe’s Niall Moore combined to win the two and a half-mile maiden hurdle with John The Diva at Thurles on Tuesday. Owned by the trainer’s brother Paul, the 11/2 chance looked to have it all to do as 20/1 shot Gentle Anna raced upwards of six lengths clear at the final hurdle but the seven-year-old stuck to his task well and got up on the final strides to win by a head, a 17th career success for the winning jockey.

Gavin Ryan landed the opening five-furlong handicap at Dundalk on Friday evening by a tighter margin. A shorthead was the distance as Winemaker recorded his third success for Curragh trainer Diego Dias. The four-year-old led inside the final furlong to pip My Girl Sioux which was ridden by Andrew Slattery for his father Andy.

Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead headed to the Cheltenham Festival on the back of a winner at Naas on Sunday. The pair combined to take the two-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle with the JP McManus-owned 11/2 chance Raglan Road. The six-year-old was having his first start in a handicap hurdle and raced up with the pace before asserting from the final hurdle to win by half a length from the front-running Kilbree Warrior.

Upcoming Irish Fixtures

Dundalk – Friday, March 15 (First Race 4.40pm)

Thurles – Saturday, March 16 (First Race 1.55pm)

Down Royal – Sunday, March 17 (First Race 1.42pm)

Wexford – Sunday, March 17 (First Race 1.57pm)