Conditional Jockeys' leader returns to winning ways

Darragh O'Keeffe ended a barren spell with a win on the Paul Stafford trained Well Joey in the Duggan Veterinary Handicap Chase at Thurles today, as he enhanced his prospects of winning this season's Conditional Jockeys Championship.

Early momentum saw jockey O'Keeffe clock up a large number of winners for a claiming jockey and while he now leads Kevin Brouder 47-40 in a hot renewal of the championship, he today ended a 61 race losing spell stretching back to Shumaker's win at Fairyhouse on January 14.

Well Joey today beat runner-up Wrong Direction by three and three parts of a length and afterwards trainer Stafford later said “I thought he had a place chance today but thought maybe the handicapper had a hold of him.

“He won three for us and went up a good slap for those few wins. Then we ran him a couple of times over hurdles thinking he was well handicapped but he's just obviously a better chaser.

“I had said to Darragh to drop in about fourth or fifth, he thought there was going to be plenty of pace but then at the start no-one wanted to go on so he took the bull by the horns and let him roll on rather than disappointing him by trying to hold him up.

“At the end of the day you have to leave it to the jockey once he's out there.

“Trip and probably better ground than he's been running on made a difference.

“He's probably more of a spring horse or maybe better ground again.”

Quotes from Gary Carson