Saint Benedict will continue his quest for an elusive first success in the Hunter Chase division as he features as one of 14 horses to have been declared for the Racing Again March 9th Maiden Hunter Chase at Clonmel on Thursday.
Enda Bolger’s charge has had to settle for the runners-up spot in consecutive years of the January maiden hunter chase at the Co. Tipperary venue, having chased home Some Man last year before narrowly being denied in this year’s renewal by Templebredin.
On that occasion he missed out on victory by just a head and he now returns over the same course and distance in seek of compensation with Harry Swan, son of former top jockey Charlie Swan, again set to take the mount.
His opposition features two last time out winners both of whom recorded their initial success at the Dromahane card on December 20th.
Sean Doyle’s Fiston Du Mou, who won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at that fixture will be ridden by Pearse Rogan, whilst Mikey O’Connor will be aboard the Mick Winters-trained Fame And Glory mare Clounts Glory.
She was a two-length winner of the GAIN Mares Series five-year-old mares’ maiden on what was just her second career start.
The returning Complete Sizing, who is the mount of in-form Jamie Codd will be sporting cheek-pieces for the first time on the racecourse, whilst owner, rider, trainer Turlough O’Connor sends out Desert Heather, who finished third in a four-year-old mares’ maiden at that December 20th Dromahane card on what was only her debut.
She was only beaten seven lengths by The Higher Road who went on to finish second behind the impressive Gerri Colombe in a Fairyhouse Bumper the following month.
