Patience pays with All In The Head

On attempt number fifteen nine-year-old King's Theatre mare All In The Head gained an important maiden win. She took the honours in division two of the Slaney Estuary Handicap Hurdle under Roger Loughran at Wexford.

Fresh off a 169 day break the Michael O'Dowd-owned and Tom Foley-trained All In The Head kept going well enough over the closing couple of flights to defeat Killahara Castle and Righty Rue by two and three parts of a length and three and a half lengths. Time Is Time seemed to get squeezed for room and he came down on the flat before the straight. Ciankyle and Northern Emperor were hampered and unseated their riders in this incident. All seemed okay afterwards.

"It's a long time since I had to talk to yee (the press) but she is a filly that we liked all the time. Unfortunately she got hurt badly at Punchestown (November 2014) and the vets wanted to put her down," reflected Foley.

"Between Michael (O'Dowd) and myself we said no way and that we'd still take a chance on her. She cracked a pelvis in three places.

"It took a long, long time to get her right and John Warwick done a lot of work with her. The other one Goaheadmakemyday (full-sister) won a bumper but I always preferred her.

"When she got hurt it put her back a long way. I'm looking forward to seeing her over fences now, she is an unbelievable jumper."

The Stewards enquired into an incident before the turn into the straight involving Ciankyle, ridden by M.J. Bolger,unseated, Killahara Castle, ridden by M.P. Burke, placed second, All In The Head, ridden by R. Loughran, placed first, Time Is Time, ridden by A. McCurtin, fell, and Northern Emperor, ridden by R.P. Treacy, unseated.

Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that R.Loughran was in breach of Rule 214, in that he rode carelessly and having considered his clean record, suspended him for three race days.

A. McCurtin, rider of Time Is Time trained by David Richard Barry, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount clipped heels and fell.

(DM & EM)