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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Conquering Cromwell wins Downpatrick opener

Fri 12th Oct 2018, 14:44

A Place Apart (near side)A Place Apart (near side)
© Photo Healy Racing

Trainer Gavin Cromwell continued his fantastic recent form as his A Place Apart landed a gamble to win the opening Molson Coors Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick today.

Gordon Elliott's former farrier has gained big race success at Grade 1 level with Jer's Girl and Welsh National glory with Raz De Maree in recent times and on Saturday landed the prestigious Group 2 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, which was the only Irish trainer winner on Arc weekend at Longchamp.

For good measure Cromwell returned to bag a double at Cork on Wednesday and today struck with A Place Apart which was today gaining a first success at the 23rd time.

The gelding was backed from 10/1 this morning in to 9/2 at the off and ridden by Ger Fox, the gelding stayed on well on the run-in to score a three parts of a length win over Free Ranger

Cromwell later admitted "he eventually won a race! We went for a bit of a touch as a three-year-old in Limerick and he didn't quite get home and I thought he would have won races by now.

"I'm delighted for the owner, Turlough Blessing, who is from Dublin and who is a nephew of Colm O'Rourke."

Quotes from Michael Graham

About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.