Choice Of Words and Daragh O'Keeffe jump the last© Photo Healy Racing
Grade 3 bumper-placed Choice Of Words made all to win on debut hurdles win today, picking up three prizes in winning the Connolly's Red Mills EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle at Galway.
Choice Of Words was having her first run since finishing second in a Graded Punchestown festival bumper last April and today, under jockey Darragh O'Keeffe, jumped well and easily defeated runner-up Derrylinda by seven and a half lengths.
Afterwards winning trainer Martin Brassil reported “it was a nice effort and we always thought a fair bit of her. We were going to point-to-point her last year but covid stopped that and she won a point-to-point bumper and just kept improving. We were thrilled with her run in the Grade 3 bumper at Punchestown and I was always looking forward to her going jumping hurdles.
“She is a nice mare and was quickening up the hill.”
The daughter of Yeats was a €27,000 Derby Sale purchase in June 2018 and today picked up €11,800 in prizemoney, with Brassil mentioning “she also gets a €5,000 bonus and a €10,000 voucher (Incentive Scheme Sales, for future purchases) along with the prizemoney, for winning. The whole initiative is great.
“There is a great programme for her and if she continues to improve, which I hope she would, and with experience, she could develop into a Cheltenham mares' novice hurdle type.”
