Sixandahalf (yellow cap) and Declan Lavery, with runner-up Colcannon (nearest)© Photo Healy Racing
Sixandahalf was the wide-margin winner of the concluding Haier INH Bumper at Punchestown today, as the successful Best of the Rest Syndicate scored with their first runner for trainer Gavin Cromwell.
Defeated by subsequent Listed winner Familiar Dreams on Naas debut last month and ridden by Declan Lavery today, the daughter of Snow Sky arrived from rear-division to lead entering the home straight and sprinted clear to beat Colcannon by 11 lengths.
Afterwards Cromwell said “she has obviously improved from the first day when she was very green and I'm delighted with the way she picked up and quickened away. I thought if she ran well here that she might win a summer bumper, so I'm delighted.
“It's the owners' (Best of the Rest Syndicate) first horse with me and they only bought her since she finished second the last day so they're off to a good start. That winner went on and won at Fairyhouse and I thought Sixandahalf improved plenty from that run.
“I thought she'd run a big race but then I came into the parade ring and looked at all these fine big horses and she is quite small. She's doesn't know she's small, to be fair to her, and she has an engine.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
