Maher, 27, builds formidable big-race winning record WARRNAMBOOL trainer Ciaron Maher is building a remarkable record for winning feature races at his first attempt and so goes into tomorrow's Grand Annual Steeplechase full of confidence after scoring in yesterday's feature jumps race, the Brierly Steeplechase with veteran Al Garhood, reports The Age.It says: Maher, 27, has only been training for about four years but is collecting feature race wins seemingly at will. In 2007, Tears I Cry won the
Maher, 27, builds formidable big-race winning record
WARRNAMBOOL trainer Ciaron Maher is building a remarkable record for winning feature races at his first attempt and so goes into tomorrow's Grand Annual Steeplechase full of confidence after scoring in yesterday's feature jumps race, the Brierly Steeplechase with veteran Al Garhood, reports The Age.
It says: Maher, 27, has only been training for about four years but is collecting feature race wins seemingly at will. In 2007, Tears I Cry won the Emirates Stakes at Flemington as Maher's first group 1 runner, then last year Al Garhood won the Brierly Steeplechase at his first attempt. Last month, his first Oakbank runner Pentacolo won the Great Eastern Steeplechase.
It is worth noting that tomorrow he saddles up his first runners in the most famous jumps race of them all.
"It's just luck I suppose, but I hope it continues," Maher said after Al Garhood made it back-to-back Brierlys with a bold all-the-way win yesterday.
Tomorrow, in the most-gruelling jumps race in Australia, Maher is expected to saddle three runners with Al Garhood likely to join Pentacolo and Fiddleray in the 5500-metre steeplechase over 33 obstacles. Maher will decide tomorrow morning whether to back Al Garhood up from his Brierly win, but if he does, he will have to secure a new rider as yesterday's jockey, Brian Constable, will ride the Eric Musgrove-trained Conzeal.