Leopardstown 29 12 23 Jetara and Jack Kennedy win the Beat The Bank Irish EBF Mares Hurdle Grade 3 Healy Racing © Photo Healy Racing
Jetara continued her rise through the ranks with a comprehensive success in the BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Jessica Harrington ’s inmate is bred to be pretty smart, with her dam Jelan being a sister to several top-class performers – including Jetson, Jett, Jered and Champion Hurdle hero Jezki.
Listed bumper winner Jetara did not manage to get her head in front during her first season over obstacles but did chase home one-time Classic contender High Definition and smart mare Ashroe Diamond, and her lack of a victory meant she retained her novice status for the new campaign.
The five-year-old was well beaten in a Down Royal Grade Three on her reappearance, but bolted up in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse next time before adding another Listed win to her CV at Punchestown, and she was prominent in the market at 5-2 as she returned to Graded company at Foxrock.
Always travelling strongly in the hands of Jack Kennedy, Jetara was sent to the front jumping the final flight before the home turn and she was not for catching thereafter, galloping up the straight to score by seven and a half lengths from Pink In The Park with 13-8 favourite Risk Belle back in third.
Harrington said: “She jumped and settled and he (Kennedy) said he couldn’t believe how much she picked up. He thought he had got there plenty soon enough and, when he asked her, she picked up well.
“We are delighted with her. She will be better on better ground – the whole family want better ground. She is the only one of them that is happy on that soft ground.
“She will probably come back here for the novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. We might as well, as she is still a novice. She jumps very slick and they (geldings) will have to give her 7lb.
“Then we will probably wait for Fairyhouse, which is early this year, for the mares’ Grade One. That will be kind of her programme.”
