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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Feeling gets the nod in apprentice thriller

Sun 31st Aug 2014, 16:28

Love The Feeling, far side, pips Sli Na Fiarana  Love The Feeling, far side, pips Sli Na Fiarana
© Photo Healy Racing

Love The Feeling just prevailed in a head bobbing finish to the Derek O'Sullivan Memorial Apprentice Handicap at the Curragh.

Tom Madden got a lovely run through on the inner to lead early in the straight on the 9/2 favourite but she was all out in the closing stages as Sli Na Fiarana challenged.

The runner-up appeared to get her head in front briefly in the closing stages but it was Willie McCreery's charge who got the verdict at the line by a nose.

The winner had been impressive when making a successful debut over hurdles at Roscommon on her last outing.

“It was the shortest of short-heads and I thought I was done at the line,” admitted McCreery.

“The hurdle race seems to have given her a lot of confidence. Billy Lee rode her last time (on the Flat) and said she got a fair old bump turning in.

“She was fair stubborn to learn the game but won her hurdle fierce well and there is a Listed hurdle in November that I'll keep in mind for her.

“The softer ground in the autumn will suit and she won't run again until she gets soft ground. I thought if it had been softer she would have won that easy.”

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.