Image © Healy Racing
Josh Ahern had a day to remember at Tipperary on Thursday evening as the victory of The Rebel County in the Buy Tickets Online Maiden Hunter Chase was his first under rules.
Josh Ahern had a day to remember at Tipperary on Thursday evening as the victory of The Rebel County in the Buy Tickets Online Maiden Hunter Chase was his first under rules.
The 20-year-old, who has ridden five winners between the flags, was always to the fore aboard his father Garret’s five-year-old, but he made a deliberate effort to keep his mount on the wide outside away from his rivals.
It was the Derek O’Connor-ridden Keep On Dreaming who took the field along with the favourite, Cause For Comment, always in the front quartet, and they were trio of horses that broke clear along the back straight, in a race where the two fences along the back were omitted due to the low-lying sun.
The Daramona House third Keep On Dreaming was the first of the three to give way, and The Rebel County seized the initiative when his chief rival, the Downpatrick runner-up, Cause For Comment, steadied into the penultimate fence.
That allowed the five-year-old son of Harzand to kick on, and from there he powered clear, with Ahern celebrating as he crossed the line eight lengths clear of the favourite, with Keep On Dreaming a further nine and a half lengths adrift in third.
The Rebel County had started his career in training with Noel Meade, running six times over hurdles without ever making the frame, but since changing stables and switching spheres, he has taken a step forward.
On stable debut, he finished second to the subsequent €150,000 seller Unflinching, before hacking up in an adjacent maiden at Ballyknock.
“I have had a few point-to-point winners but it was always on the back that trying to get that one out of the way,” the winning rider said.
“We fancied him coming here, he won his confined well about two or three weeks ago so there was a bit of pressure on today, but it’s good to have some pressure.
“I kept it wide, we just thought that he wanted a bit of better ground, it was a bit chopped up and a small bit too wet for him on the inside.
“He ran wicked keen with me I thought the race was over before it even got going with the bit of a delay, he was jumping around and sweating up, but in fairness he has carried me the whole way.
“Patrick came and Derek was upsides me turning in and I wasn’t sure how much I’d find but I have him a little squeeze and away he went.
“Before this the plan was to go to the track for maybe a handicap chase or handicap hurdle, with him. That plan might stay in place now he seems to love that bit of summer ground.”
