Great Oak jumps the last under Mark Enright© Photo Healy Racing
Jockey Mark Enright marked his transition to the jumping game in style at Wexford this evening, punching the air after steering his first jumps winner, on Great Oak (20/1) in the Courtown Beginners Steeplechase.
Enright moved the John Nicholson trained mare to the front after three out and the pair battled well to see off the challenge of 15/8 favourite Annie Other
Enright, who has previously had nine winners, celebrated his win with an at-first unusual triumphant punch of the air but later explained “that's my first winner over jumps! I'm concentrating on National Hunt now because my weight has gone against me. I've had three winners in bumpers and nine on the Flat but hadn't a winner over hurdles or chases until today.”
Johnstown, Co Kilkenny based Nicholson later also reported “that's me off the cold trainers' list!
“She was the first horse to be beaten by a 'nose' in Ireland (a bumper in Listowel) and she always jumped her hurdles like fences so we knew chasing was her game. She might go to Galway now and she likes good ground.”
