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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Bashford grabs his opportunity on San Salvador

Fri 20th Aug 2021, 20:45

San Salvador, right, leads them inSan Salvador, right, leads them in
© Photo Healy Racing

San Salvador (4/1) made the best way home to win Killarney's bumper for Joseph O'Brien.

There was a nasty incident with less than half a mile to go when Bravo Buddy who was pursuing San Salvador in second appeared to break down and unseated Maxine O'Sullivan. The jockey got up from the incident.

Neil Bashford sent San Salvador on in the long straight and the pair had enough in the tank to repel One Last Tango (20/1) by three parts of a length. Watergrange Jack was the same distance back in third at 13/2.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: "He has plenty of experience, and when he was fourth at Fairyhouse he probably went soon enough on him and he might have been second but that was good enough form.

"Bash did the right thing there, there was no pace so left him pop along in front. He knew his job, stays well, he slowed it down and then kept quickening and quickening and got them all at it.

"He is a very tall horse, is still quite weak and he jumps very well so I should think he'll go jumping now as it'll be hard to win another bumper with a penalty.

"It's nice for Bash to get the opportunity as Tom (Hamilton) is suspended."

The Stewards reviewed the fall of Bravo Buddy, ridden by Miss M. O'Sullivan who fell rounding the final bend on the flat. Having viewed a recording of the incident, the Stewards were satisfied that Bravo Buddy sustained an injury and fell independent of any other horse and that no further action was warranted. This was subsequently confirmed by the rider.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.