Punters Poet comes good for patient connections Division one of the Sliabh Na mBan Handicap Hurdle at Clonmel went the way of Punters Poet for Matthew Smith and Keith Donoghue. Early gamble for the near two and a half miler, Confusionanddelay, shaped well for much of the journey but faded from two out into a finishing position of eighth. From that point Punters Poet and Allora Yeats were vying for supremacy and half a length split them at the finish. "It is nice to finally get that and fair play to the lads (Poetic Ten Syndicate) who have put a lot of time and money into him. They are from around Tullamore and have been very patient,” said Smith. "He works well at home and was running on the flat at Dundalk but I don't think he was letting himself down. "He has plenty of gears and I said to Keith to come up with a plan to get him to win and he gave him a great ride. "I'm delighted for the Brazils who stand his sire Urban Poet, who produced One Cool Poet, and they also bred this horse." The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Confusionanddelay, trained by David Harry Kelly, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be blowing hard, making an abnormal respiratory noise and to have superficial wounds to both hind cannons post race. The Stewards requested a report from Matthew J. Smith, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Punters Poet, placed first, as compared with its recent form. Matthew J. Smith stated that the return to hurdling and the better ground today had helped to bring about the apparent improvement in form. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the explanation given. (TW & EM)
