In-form Donoghue enjoys very comfortable Al Gasparo spin Keith Donoghue is making hay since returning from injury and he kept up the good work aboard Al Gasparo in the Mongey Communications Maiden Hurdle at Killarney. Backed into 5/4 favourite from 6/4 on track, and from bigger earlier, Al Gasparo slammed his market rival Irish Panther (10/11 out to 11/8) by all of twenty four lengths. In truth the victor was impressive off the front end for Swords Bloodstock Limited and Gavin Cromwell, and he was going to win barring accidents from some way out. "It was a winnable race I suppose but this horse had run consistently in a few maidens and it was good performance," said Donoghue. "We went a good gallop and the second-favourite (Irish Panther) probably didn't perform, there wasn't much else in it so on our lad's form, he was entitled to do that. "I was very comfortable today, I let him bowl away and he has a good cruising speed. He jumps well and will be a grand horse." The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer reported to the Raceday Stewards that March Law trained by Matthew J. Smith was seen to have blood at both nostrils post race. The Raceday Stewards enquired into where it appeared that G.B. Noonan jumped the first hurdle on the way to the start. In his evidence, G.B. Noonan stated that his mount was running keen to post and that he had tried to stop him inside the wings of the hurdle but was unable and ended up jumping the hurdle. Having considered all the evidence, the Raceday Stewards accepted his explanation and took no further action. J.C. Gainford, rider of Jocker Du Moulin (FR), trained by Gordon Elliott, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount stopped quickly and was pulled up. D.J. O'Keeffe, rider of Sharetheknowledge, trained by Paul Tobin, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount stopped quickly and was pulled up. (TW & EM)
