Wishmoor (Ricky Doyle) beating Kavanaghs Corner© Photo Healy Racing
Wishmoor landed the Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists Veterans Handicap Chase at Limerick for the second successive year but only after giving his supporters a mountain of worry.
It all started on the back foot as the Johnny Levins-trained gelding was very reluctant in front at the first few fences and Ricky Doyle needed to drive the 11/1 chance along to maintain a prominent position. Kavanaghs Corner third to Wishmoor here 12 months ago, looked all set to score when jumping to the front at the penultimate fence.
However, Wishmoor and Doyle never gave up and in a real slow-motion finish got back up in the final 50 yards to beat that rival by a length and a quarter. Dubai Devils was just half-a-length away in third.
Levins said, “I’m absolutely thrilled and that’s been his target all summer. He won this race last year.
“He’s been good at home but I’ve been a bit concerned as it’s taken him a while to come into form on the track.
“Ricky gave him a never say die ride and I’m not sure if any other jockey would have won on him today. He got a really good tune out of him.
“He did the same here last year with the fences down the back but did eventually warm up to his jumping.
“The veterans race in Navan will be the plan again and we also have the Ulster National in mind.”
