Toss proves tough under Blackmore

Toss Again made virtually all in the McHale Fusion Range Maiden Hurdle, scoring under Rachael Blackmore for Henry de Bromhead.

Third on his sole point-to-point start when trained by Sean Doyle, the bay five-year-old was again third on his racecourse debut at Downpatrick earlier this month.

In a share of the lead early on, the son of Malinas got to the front after the second. He was strongly pressed and joined from two out, but kept finding for pressure and was in-front again on the run-in, going on to score by half-a-length. Noble Birth (10/3) was a luckless second under Jack Kennedy. Caught for room on the inner approaching the last, he got the desired gap inside the final 150 yards and while he came home well, he couldn't reel-in the winner. Meetingofthewaters (11/2) ran a nice race to take third, just a length-and-three-quarters behind, while Western Walk (7/4f) faded in the closing stages and was a head back in fourth.

"He's tough and he stays. He'd a lovely run in Downpatrick the last day and it's great to get him off the mark today," Blackmore said.

"He was a bit lairy in front and he's a stayer so, in hindsight, maybe I could have gone a stride quicker in the middle part of the race but he did it well in the end."

STEWARDS REPORTS

T.N. Brett, rider of Areyougoinforone trained by Ray Hackett, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount ran very green.

The Stewards interviewed Rachael Blackmore, rider of Toss Again, concerning her use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In her evidence, Rachael Blackmore admitted that she had exceeded the permissible limit for the use of the whip and apologised for her actions. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that Rachael Blackmore was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using her whip with excessive frequency. Having taken her clean previous record into consideration, the Stewards cautioned Rachael Blackmore on this occasion. Mr Peter Allen, Chairman of the Acting Stewards absented himself from this enquiry and was replaced as Chairman by Dr. Colm O'Flaherty.

Additional reporting by Mark Nunan