18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Mahler Allstar justifies short-priced favouritism

Thu 24th Mar 2022, 16:11

Mahler Allstar and Sean O'KeeffeMahler Allstar and Sean O'Keeffe
© Photo Healy Racing

The absence of both Changing The Rules and The Road To Fame (both due to the drying ground, officially good) meant the corkracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle provided Mahler Allstar with a great opportunity and he duly took full advantage at odds of 1/5.

The Jimmy Mangan-trained gelding had previously come up against some smart types in maiden hurdles like Stattler and The Nice Guy, and Sean O’Keeffe kept it simple making all in this 2m4f event.

The lightly raced eight-year-old never looked in any serious danger and asserted on the run-in to beat Ask The Bookie by five and a half lengths. Jubilee Gold rallied in the closing stages to finish a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Mangan said, "He deserved that and is a long distance chaser. He'll have another hurdle race before going chasing next season and Sean said he likes the good ground.

"We'll pick out another race for him and I'd like to go to Liverpool. I like it there and it is always safe ground.

"If he didn't win that today I'd be in trouble so hopefully next year we can look forward to going over fences."

(TW & AM)

About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.