Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Grooveykindoflove scores to give O'Keeffe double at Thurles
John O'Riordan
Grooveykindoflove scores to give O'Keeffe double at Thurles
Grooveykindoflove and Darragh O'Keeffe.
© Photo Healy Racing
Having been amongst the winners earlier on the card, jockey Darragh O'Keeffe completed a double when Grooveykindoflove opened her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Thurles.
Beaten less than a length on her two most recent starts, the Henry De Bromhead trained mare got her head in front for the first time at the fifth attempt.
Sent off 1/1f, the five-year-old tracked leader Paudie's Wings for much of the contest before being left in front after the latter jumped badly left two out.
Pushed along when strongly pressed by Reina Del Mar on the run to the final flight, Grooveykindoflove was getting the better of that duel when the former made a bad mistake which ended her hopes.
O'Keeffe was left well clear on the eventual winner who kept on well to score by eight-and-a-half lengths from Fillusin
The winning rider commented: "It was ideal for another horse to make the running for her and I felt in Roscommon, we weren't going quick and that she wasn't the most natural of front runners. Today she jumped really well and when the others came to her, she picked up well to the line.
"It is easy to say now that the cheekpieces helped but they did and having something to aim at helped. It is good to get her head in front and hopefully can progress on from it. I would be keeping her up in trip rather than back, as she seemed to enjoy it today."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.