Cristal Clere enjoying himself in Leopardstown Cristal Clere confirmed his well-being in defying the 7lb penalty in the SHEIN Cup Handicap at Leopardstown. He came home by a decisive three and three-quarter lengths over a mile at this track on Sunday and 10 furlongs today was well within his compass. Sean Bowen took 7lb off his back again and the pair collared a game Timourid in the closing stages to prevail by half a length in justifying 7/4 favouritism. Timourid was a 12/1 chance on seasonal debut and finished a neck in front of Wild Dollar (25/1) who flashed home for third with New Hill (10/1) the same distance back in fourth. Trainer John Nallen said: "That's brilliant, I'm delighted. He was a little horse we bought to win a maiden in Belharbour but he went a different direction. “We bought a couple of Flat ones to get Seanie (nephew) going. If you want an event pony they cost half a million and we bought him for 15 grand. He's after winning 45 grand now and putting the jockey on the board. “Seanie said he was feeling the surface at Dundalk the last day and changing his legs. We didn't know how he'd go on the ground on Sunday, we were just hoping he would. “He jumps hurdles and fences, so hopefully he'll rock on. “He's a right little horse, we bought him at Newmarket last year at the horses-in-training sale — he hadn't run. “When we brought him home we thought we had him for point-to-pointing and we schooled him over fences and all. “When we put him up against the rest of the pointers, he was a bit on small side and I said if he wins we still won't get paid for him, so we'll get value for Seanie rather than go that way. “These Flat men have it cushy, this fella doesn't do anything. We were off schooling this morning at 7am this morning with a load of horses. You just give this fella a few nuts and a pick of grass and away he goes, it's an easy game. “I carried out the saddle for him today and if he rides him over hurdles I'll have to get a wheelbarrow to carry the saddle. “Hopefully we'll run him over hurdles, he could be a right little horse for that. He could go to any of those (Flat) handicaps in the summer as well for experience, once he has a bit of cut in the ground away he goes.” The Raceday Stewards enquired into an incident early in the home straight involving Cristal Clere, ridden by S.D. Bowen, placed first, Dalvey (GB), ridden by J.M. Sheridan, placed sixth, and Gradulations (GB), ridden by W.J. Lee, placed sixteenth, where it appeared Gradulations suffered interference. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. W. J. Lee stated that he suffered interference from both sides. J. M. Sheridan stated that he came wide turning into the straight and that he did not feel his horse leaning left but that he did everything to keep straight. S. D. Bowen stated that he was tight for room behind the leaders and manoeuvred right to get a clear run. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Raceday Stewards found both J. M. Sheridan and S. D. Bowen in breach of Rule 214 in that they had ridden carelessly and having considered their respective records in this regard the Raceday Stewards suspended J. M. Sheridan for 4 race days and S. D. Bowen for 5 race days. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
