Snake Oil strides clear© Photo Healy Racing
Barry Connell has had plenty of good winners as an owner but today he made the breakthrough as a trainer with Snake Oil in the bumper at Listowel.
The 3/1 favourite was always to the fore and disputed after half a mile. He took a definite lead at the halfway stage and Finny Maguire went for home over a quarter of a mile out.
The five-year-old gelding ran on strongly to land the spoils by seven and a half lengths from Double Jubilee (33/1). The Dara Man (8/1) flashed home in third, beaten a short head by the runner-up.
Barry Connell said: "This is a very lucky place for me and I rode three or four winners and rode my last winner here. I love coming down here.
"We have 30 in training and have a lot of young horses; there are a few that will be moved on at the end of the summer season and more than half the yard hasn't run yet, and hopefully we have one or two more nice types like him.
"I was sweating a bit on the ground but I walked it and spoke to Val O'Connell (Clerk of the Course) and he said there was plenty juice underneath.
"He is a proper horse and is the first proper horse I've run. We've had a few summer horses but this lad has a big future.
"He had a lovely run at Galway and Finny said he was still green there, so there is plenty of improvement to come and he is a super jumper.
"We might think about a winners' bumper at Tipperary in three weeks next and we were delighted to get Finny today as he is top class.
"Mark Bolger is working for us full-time and we have Roger Loughran and Garrett Cotter as work-riders, so we have very good riders at home; Kevin Brouder was riding a few for me and is out of action and Mark will ride a good few of them."
Snake Oil had finished sixth on debut in a maiden hurdle at Galway.
The Stewards interviewed Mr P.J. O'Neill, rider of Double Jubilee, concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards found the rider in breach of Reg.10.3.(g)(frequency) and (i)(time to respond) and having taken his record into account suspended him for one race day.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
