Irish racing, don’t ever say it doesn’t entertain.
With a loose horse selling dummies like they were going out of fashion, a ‘downright disgrace’ of a start turned a race upside down and then there were the breath-taking heroics from Kerry jockey Kevin Brouder, who somehow stayed on board a four-legged-animal desperate to say its goodbyes.
All the while, Ruby Walsh and Kevin O’Ryan talked Manchester United-Arsenal, they discussed the best series on Netflix and they took us step by step, one-liner by one-liner through a thoroughly entertaining day at the Naas Races.
Where else would you get it?
We’ll start with the good news, which on this most comedic of days was that show of tremendous horsemanship by Brouder, who kept his balance and composure while Forza Milan bucked and leapt like a pup that wanted nothing to do with him. Brouder’s sorcery was only overshadowed by Rachael Blackmore, Henri De Bromhead and their charge Eklat De Rire who stormed home to head a talented field in the big race of the day.
An act of utter sorcery from Kerry jockey Kevin Brouder to stay on the fourth horse here.
Mother of Goodness 🙌🙌pic.twitter.com/qjz874lwRl
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 31, 2021
Back we go to the controversy, when starter Derek Cullen’s debatable call to start the 2.45 left two horses well adrift of the field from the word go. The mishap wouldn’t have been as noticeable only for one of these horses, Aaron’s Day, gobbling up the lost ground to finish second in the contest. Oliver McKiernan’s horse would almost certainly have the race with a fair crack of the whip.
“This is shambolic,” said Walsh, who bemoaned the fact that the officials aren’t subject to the same, strict code of conduct that jockeys face.
“To me, it’s a downright disgrace,” added Kevin O’Ryan.
"That is shambolic." – Ruby Walsh.
"To me, it's a downright disgrace." – Kevin O'Ryan.
A questionable start may have cost Oliver McKiernan's horse Aaron's day the race at Naas.pic.twitter.com/wtZRUurkgz
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 31, 2021
Now for some light-hearted relief from the heavy stuff, here’s Melly and Me putting some stewards to the test with some of the fanciest footwork going.
Melly And Me will sleep well tonight – some fancy footwork here at @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/6Mxhs2CXbB
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 31, 2021
