In The Trenches ends long wait for victory at 35th attempt under in-form Finegan

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Perennial silver medallist In The Trenches finally graduated to gold when he shed his maiden tag at the 35th attempt in the 2m3f maiden hurdle. 

The Gavin Cromwell-trained six-year-old had filled the second spot on 14 separate occasions before his long-awaited win and was helped in no small part by his jockey, Eoghan Finegan.

The rider, who first took out his licence in 2021, saw his claim reduced to 5lb as a result of the confident winning ride and it was his fourth victory in ten days.

“He’s been a bit frustrating,” Finegan told Racing TV. “I didn’t want to go after him. I just wanted to keep filling him up because with his record, you couldn’t trust him.”

Wine shows bottle

An 11lb lower mark over hurdles marked She’s A Fine Wine out for the shortlist in the 2m3f mares’ handicap hurdle, but the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare needed to show guts to win.

You Make Me Smile challenged the 13-2 winner all the way to the line, but She’s A Fine Wine showed a resolute attitude to prevail by half a length. 

“She did it well,” winning rider Mike O’Connor said. “We were hopeful coming here today given her rating. She stuck at it well.”

Jet flies home

Georginas Jet made it 14th time lucky when she bagged her first win in the 2m2f handicap hurdle in a taking fashion at 20-1.

Winning rider Gavin Brouder said: “My mare has been consistent but hasn’t gotten the rub of the green. She jumped and travelled like a dream.”

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