Araukan (Katie O'Farrell) races for victory from Big Tree (Paul Townend) after Bryan Cooper was unseated from Shawshank© Photo Healy Racing
Araukan (12s into 10s) ran out a fortuitous winner of the opening Welcome To Wexford Racecourse Maiden Hurdle with Shawshank unseating rider after two out when looking an assured victor.
Sean Treacy trains the Katie O’Farrell-ridden winner for his wife Geraldine, and the Borris-handler’s most recent racecourse scorer had also come at Wexford — Theatre Wine at odds of 33/1 in April 2016.
It was difficult to feel anything other than sickness for connections and backers of Shawshank in the aftermath though.
The well-supported 5/2 shot (from 4s on track) did so much right from the front under Bryan Cooper, and Paul Nolan’s charge asserted from before the straight.
For whatever reason the dual point-to-point winner veered right after jumping two out, unseating Cooper, and handing Araukan a three length win over favourite Big Tree
"She keeps going well and she likes it down here. She is not an over big filly but it has just taken her time to develop and mature, and she is only doing that now," said Treacy on his home-bred.
"She jumps well and has schooled well over fences too.
"She just gets a little bit wound up when you go racing with her, and that's why I looked for permission for her to go out of the parade ring early. It just makes it handier on myself, the jockey and everyone else.
"She is as honest as the day is long and will try her heart out for you. She just gets a bit excited and I'm a bit excited myself today!
"These races are absolutely fantastic and there probably should be even more of them for the lesser type horses.
"Hopefully there is another little race in her and she'll go for a handicap now."
The Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Pat Coyne, trained by John W. Nicholson, for failing to lodge the passport in accordance with the provisions of Rule 90 (i).
The Stewards imposed a fine of €400 on D.N. Russell, rider, for breaching Rule 196 (v) by failing to present himself for his rides at today's meeting without providing a satisfactory explanation.
(DM & EM)
