Nolan's Theatre wins in first-time blinkers

The application of first-time blinkers seems to have transformed the fortunes of Fine Theatre at Gowran today as the Paul Nolan trained gelding won the Coolmeen Gallops Beginners Chase, just a fortnight after pulling up on his previous start.

The son of King's Theatre, a half brother to Irish Gold Cup winner Joncol, failed to raise a gallop when a beaten 7/4 favourite at Fairyhouse a fortnight ago but today, under Mikey Fogarty, bounced back to his best form with a comfortable seven and a half lengths win over The Winkler

Nolan today said “he was scandalously disappointing the last day and just seemed not to turn up.

“We put blinkers on him today and he really seems to revel in that real heavy ground.

“The last day at Fairyhouse was too bad to be true and we thought there had to be something wrong but nothing came to light so we decided to rock on with him.

“I was delighted with the way he travelled today and he jumped so well. On that sort of ground hopefully he's well handicapped but he's definitely a horse that has two ways of running. However the one thing about him is that he seems to revel in that heavy ground and all the family were the same.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson