Coleman & Rodger Sweeney with Fiery Oscar© Photo Healy Racing
Fiery Oscar made it four wins in-a-row as he eased to victory in the GAA Supporters Day 19th May Handicap Hurdle, for the father and son team of Rodger & Colman Sweeney. The eight-year-old son of Oscar, who runs in the Salsify colours of Joan Sweeney, is in the form of his life this year and he started his sequence of wins at Clonmel in February when winning a handicap hurdle. He followed up on his next start again at Clonmel before he won a handicap chase at Tramore last time out by an easy eleven lengths. Back over timber this afternoon, he was sent off the 11/2 favourite and turning for the home straight he was improving to challenge. He hit the front on the run to the second last and swift jumps over the last two sealed the deal as he ran out an easy nine and a half-length winner over Time Please in second for Edward O'Grady and Mark Walsh at 8/1. The John Kiely trained Blossom Gate (12/1) kept on well to take third, a further half a length back, while More Madness (returned 9/1, opened at 14/1 with Paddy Powers this morning) completed the placings, two and a half lengths back in fourth under Paul Townend for Terence O'Brien. Rodger Sweeney said afterwards: "He is like wine, he is improving with age and he won snugly there. "He has turned inside out and I’m not sure where he will go next. He might have one or two more runs before we give him a break for the summer." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
