Emmet McNamara (stripes) keeps Askmour up to her work from Deor (centre) and Daliyan© Photo Healy Racing
Niall McCullagh missed the ride on Askmour after a bad fall at the trainer of that one, Frank Dunne's base yesterday, and Emmet McNamara stepped in for the winning spare on the Azamour seven-year-old in the Monart Destination Spa Ladies Day Handicap at Wexford.
The heavy support that saw Deor go off the even money favourite, looked doomed from some way out, as Joseph O'Brien obviously wasn't happy aboard the Galileo gelding.
It looked like the 'jolly' might pull it out of the fire when getting into a challenging position in the straight, but despite her tail swishing 8/1 shot Askmour was too strong and she scored by a length and three parts.
"I'm delighted but I'm also a bit gutted for Niall McCullagh. She's his ride, he has done all the work with her and as everyone knows he got an awful fall yesterday so I want to wish him the best of luck and to get well as soon as he can," said McNamara.
"He had this filly spot on today as did Frank. She toughed it out well, she got there and she just kept finding and finding for me.
"She's a filly that could progress again going up in trip. She ran a bit in snatches but she hit the line well.
"She's a seven-year-old filly (only made her debut on April 17th this year) but she is very lightly raced and I think there is improvement to come. It was a drop in grade from the last day and that helped."
E. D. Delany, trainer of Sweet Cherry reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his charge scoped abnormally post race
(DM & EM)
