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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Duke's Clemencia turns over odds-on favourite Pasley

Sun 8th Dec 2019, 13:33

             Clemencia and Ricky Doyle Clemencia and Ricky Doyle
© Photo Healy Racing

Clemencia (as big as 33s in the morning, 10/1 into 8/1 on track) was a convincing winner of the Galtee 3-y-o Maiden Hurdle under Ricky Doyle.

Always prominent, the gelded son of Pour Moi, in a first-time tongue-tie, led from halfway and left the 2/5 favourite toiling from three out. The winner galloped out strongly to score by fifteen lengths, with the odds-on favourite just lasting home for second from Politicise (22/1).

A five-race maiden on the Flat, Clemencia had run well in a Killarney handicap that worked out well in August and later that month was sixth on his hurdling debut at Down Royal.

"He is certainly a Triumph Hurdle horse without any question or doubt, said winning trainer Brendan Duke.

"I was heart-broken the first day in Down Royal and I thought for the first day at the races he didn't get a very sympathetic ride. I did expect him to win, I'm not going to tell that I didn't, but there was also a horse running away upsides him.

"I'm lucky it's coming up to Christmas and I'm off the hook with Jim (Bolger, owner)! He is like the trainer, big and backward and will take time and this is a nice horse and with a little bit of luck you'll hear plenty more about him.

"He has been schooling him since last January and the lads at home did a great job with him. He is talented and just needs to be lucky in his life.

"Jim likes going to Leopardstown at Christmas but I might keep him until the Dublin Racing Festival instead.

"It's odds-on now Santa will come."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

1st
8/1
Tote €15.30 €2.70
2nd
15L
2/5Fav
€1.02
3rd
shd
22/1
€3.50
4th
19L
12/1
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.