Slowmotion with (l-r) Joseph O'Brien, Mark Walsh, Tina Evans, Frank Berry and Jim O'Brien © Photo Healy Racing
Owner J.P. McManus, trainer Joseph O’Brien and jockey Mark Walsh combined for a double at Naas today as Slowmotion overcame a dire in-running position to win the featured Listed BBA Ireland Ltd Opera Hat (Mares) Chase.
The five year old mare became detached from his four principal rivals with five fences to jump and was still adrift of the field turning for home. However to Slowmotion’s credit she gradually picked off her rivals before improving to lead past Solita on the run-in, to score a four lengths win over that rival. The 9/4 chance had matched at 40 (39/1) in-running.
Afterwards trainer O’Brien, who supplied McManus and Walsh with earlier success through Outspoken stated “Mark gave her a peach and let her find her feet early. She’s tough and she stays and even though the trip was on the short side, she stuck at it well.
“It’s nice to win another stakes race with her and we’ll see how she comes out of it and speak to Frank (Berry) and JP. She looks like she’ll get further.”
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
