"Summer heavy" to Plain Or Battered's liking

Plain Or Battered made the most of his opportunity when getting a run from his spot as a reserve for the Support The Irish Injured Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Wexford. Conor Owens' mount showed stamina in abundance to prevail in race five at Bettyville.

On the mark earlier on the card with Kiltealy Park Paul Nolan ran two here, Tranquil Sea (5/2 favourite) and Western Zara (100/30). They couldn't get involved at the real business end though. Tranquil Sea finished third and Western Zara pulled up.

It was left to Cloudy Fountain to give Plain Or Battered most to do and she ran well but had to yield near the line by three parts of a length.

"That's Conor's fifth winner. He started with me just over a year ago and started with no experience. For the chances he is getting his strike rate has been extremely good. He is good value for his claim and this horse is an ideal one for him to ride as he has plenty of experience," said winning trainer Philip Rothwell.

"I got him off the Dooly's and Noel is still involved with him. The Dooly's are fabulous people and they gave me the opportunity to buy three horses and I'm really pleased to have them. They are great friends and are lovely people, so I can't say enough thanks to Noel and Jenny Dooly, they are very good to me.

"He is a winter horse and we have winter ground today. I believe it's summer heavy today and so did Paul Townend and a lot of the senior jockeys, yet the board inside still says soft, yielding in places. The same clerk of the course (Paul Moloney) gave good to yielding in Kilbeggan last night, whereas all the senior jockeys said good, no yielding. There is a huge discrepancies. How are they seeing it as slower than the riders last night and quicker than the riders today. The discrepancy is too big and it doesn't make sense.

"I'm delighted because my horse is a winter horse and he got heavy ground today. Liz Doyle told me this morning it would be proper soft and she was right. He'll probably get a break now and come back in the winter to go over fences."

K.M. Donoghue, rider of El Capitaine trained by Tom Dreaper, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount stopped quickly after the second last and pulled up.

The Raceday Stewards interviewed C. Owens rider of Plain Or Battered, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In his evidence, C. Owens accepted he was in breach of the Whip Regulation and apologised for his actions. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Raceday Stewards were satisfied that C. Owens was in breach of R.10.3(g)(frequency) and having considered his record in this regard, they suspended him for four racedays.

(DM & EM)