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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

22/1 surprise as Vintage takes the bumper

Mon 6th Aug 2012, 18:15

Mikey O'Connor drives Vintage Supreme out to the line from Wrong Way Corrigan on the outsideMikey O'Connor drives Vintage Supreme out to the line from Wrong Way Corrigan on the outside
© Photo Healy Racing

The John Long trained, Mikey O'Connor ridden Vintage Supreme sprang a 22/1 surprise in the bumper at Cork as he got the better of the Wrong Way Corrigan (5/2) for Willie and Patrick Mullins.

The 6yo son of Talkin Man finished a decent fourth on his debut behind Fickle Fortune at Down Royal in February but he disappointed last time out when finishing a well beaten fifth behind Shotgun Paddy at Thurles.

Having tracked the leaders early on he was sixth five furlongs from home before closing on the inner as they entered the straight.

He was ridden to lead over a furlong and a half out and stayed on well under pressure to hold off Wrong Way Corrigan by three parts of a length at the line.

The James Dullea trained Sammys Gone finished a further three and three parts of a length back in third under James Carroll at 8/1 while the 11/8 favourite, What's Happening, ran no sort of race finishing twelfth under John Thomas McNamara for Michael Hourigan.

Winning trainer John Long said afterwards: "Robbie McNamara rode him the last day in Thurles and he said there was no point in running him until he got reasonably good ground.

"I was going to run him at Ballinrobe recently but Mikey O’Connor, who rides him in work, told me to wait another while.

"He will go hurdling now if he is not sold."

The winner is a half-brother to seven time winner (including a point-to-point success) Drumbaloo.

Now trained by Evan Williams he won a Grade 2 bumper at Navan in December of 2009 when trained by James Lambe.

(On-course reporting by Thomas Weekes)

About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.