Jinxs Link (orange) © Photo Healy Racing
Jinxs Link (7/2) survived a stewards' enquiry to land the Kerry Foods Handicap Hurdle and complete a double for JJ Slevin.
There were three in line at the second-last in this two-miler and the winner and Ah Remy Martin moved on from Eastmore down to the last. Jinxs Link jumped left at that final flight, giving Ah Remy Martin a hefty bump. The pair fought it out on the run-in and Jinks Link gained the upper hand over 50 yards out. Meanwhile, Eastmore was rallying late having been switched to the inner and he moved second close home before being tightened up by the inwards-drifting Jinks Link in the final couple of strides.
The stewards' deliberations were never likely to result in any change to the result and Patrick McCooey's eight-year-old was duly confirmed as the 'winner alright', with a neck the margin of victory.
Winning trainer Michael Rice, based near Dundalk, remarked: "He's game alright. It took us a longtime to get him back on track, but hopefully we have him now. There's always something wrong with him.
"We knew we had him right and there is still a wee bit of improvement in him. Hopefully, he comes out of it okay. I was in two minds whether we would pull him (due to the ground), but the owner said to run him. I'd say he will be a bit stiff in the morning and, if that is all it is, we can deal with it.
"He has one burst of speed and it only lasts for maybe a furlong.
"JJ is great, he put him to sleep just like when he won his first race in Kilbeggan and that was on soft ground."
Quotes from Michael Graham
