Well-backed Donegal Tuesday delivers Donegal Tuesday landed a nice touch when taking the Gowran Park Golf Club Captains 2017 Handicap Hurdle at her ease under Dylan Robinson. Returned a 10/1 chance after being supported in from 16/1 on track, and from bigger earlier, Donegal Tuesday was noted travelling well through this two and a half miler. After getting a patient she made her ground from before the third last. The Presenting mare led and asserted from the next and she eventually comfortably accounted for Phar Island by fourteen lengths. Michael Hourigan trains Donegal Tuesday for Galway publican Stephen Fahy and the seven-year-old’s only previous success had been when she was the lucky victor of a point-to-point on her debut last year. Hourigan said: "I'm delighted for Stevie who has been a great patron. "I thought she was a certainty in Limerick but it looked like she didn't stay. That is probably her trip." The Stewards requested a report from Michael Hourigan, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Donegal Tuesday, placed first, as compared with its recent form. Michael Hourigan stated that his charge had run a good race at Fairyhouse on the 16th November 2016 when running in her first handicap hurdle. She then ran at Limerick on the 27th December where she failed to get the trip over three miles on heavy ground. Her most recent run at Punchestown on the 14th January over two and a half miles on soft ground had conditions in her favour but she failed to get into contention having jumped off towards the rear of the field. He felt that todays two and a half mile trip and her preferred heavy ground conditions combined to help her produce her best form. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the content of the report. (AM & EM)
