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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Akorakor wins Racing Post bumper

Mon 1st Apr 2013, 16:36

Akorakor fends off Concordin, near side, and Blow The Doors OffAkorakor fends off Concordin, near side, and Blow The Doors Off
© Photo Healy Racing

Akorakor produced a stout staying performance to land the Racing Post Champion Point-to-Point Bumper for Gigginstown and trainer Gordon Elliott.

Michael O'Leary's stud had promised to offer €200,000 to the winning owner for the successful horse but after claiming the prize themselves generously donated the money to stricken jockey John Thomas McNamara.

Jane Mangan partnered the winner and gave him a strong ride, as the Lando gelding hit the front entering the straight and galloped on strongly.

The four-year-old stuck to his task well to record a three-parts-of-a-length success over Concordin who finished well to push him in the closing stages.

“He's a proper horse and is only a baby. He's four and is massive. He'll be a serious horse with a summer's grass.” said Elliott.

“It's a pity that I'm not allowed to train him next year but that's the deal I did with Gigginstown when they let me train their point-to-pointers.

“They were good enough to let me train them and bring them along and he'll go to another trainer next season.”

Eddie O'Leary said afterwards:- “Because we won the race we'd like to donate the €200,000 to the JT McNamara fund.”

Winning jockey Jane Mangan said: "I'm delighted to finally repay the O'Learys for supporting me.

"Gordon was very confident and he's a very good horse."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.