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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Practice completes good weekend for McManus

Sun 3rd Dec 2023, 15:32

Common Practice and Mark Walsh jump the last in frontCommon Practice and Mark Walsh jump the last in front
© Photo Healy Racing

Common Practice swooped before the last to claim the €100,000 Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse, completing a good weekend for owner JP McManus.

Mark Walsh produced the 14/1 shot to lead before the final flight and he stuck on well in the closing stages to record a length-and-three-quarters win over By Your Side in the two-miler.

It was a double on the day for trainer Joseph O'Brien, following the earlier win of Nurburgring and owner McManus was recording his fifth win of the two-day festival.

Common Practice was dropping back to the minimum trip today having faded late on over almost half a mile further at Naas last time.

McManus' racing manager Frank Berry said:- “It’s been a brilliant couple of days.

“Mark rode him in Naas the last day and he sort of forced him up a bit, so he said he’d change tactics today and drop him in and see what happened. It worked out grand.

“In hindsight the trip today may have suited him better. He’s been a consistent little horse and it’s nice to see him getting one of those. He got a great ride.

“There are loads of those handicaps coming up worth a few quid and he can be competitive. We’re delighted with him.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)

1st
14/1
Tote €15.40 €2.90
2nd
1.75L
40/1
€9.50
3rd
0.5L
10/1
€2.50
4th
8L
15/2
€2.40
bf
0.5L
3/1Fav
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.