Family O'Connell collect again with Captain Captainofthefleet recorded his sixth career victory, and third since Christmas, when defying top-weight in the featured Don't Step On The Crest Handicap Hurdle on Student Raceday at Cork. Trained by Eamonn O'Connell and ridden by his son Eoin, the eight-year-old gelding struck the front two out but needed to tough it out in the closing stages. The 7/1 chance was far from fluent at the final flight but overcame that mistake to beat the always prominent Your Busy by half a length, with Kylecrue also keeping on well on the run-just three quarters of a length further adrift in third. All three of those wins since Christmas have been partnered by the 20-year-old amateur. Eamonn O'Connell said, "He loves the heavy ground and isn't as slow as people think. We love to see it raining when he runs but is a horse you can't run too often as he suffers with a bad back. "He could end up in Punchestown or in Clonmel (for the Clonmel Cup) but it'll all depend on the ground." Regarding son Eoin, he added "That's his third racecourse winner (also has two point-to-point wins) and I'd say he'll probably see out the winter before thinking about turning professional." The winner is owned by the ten member Ab Initio Syndicate ("from Dublin, Kerry and all over") which includes the trainer's uncle Con and father Tom O'Connell. (TW & AM)
