Micky Fenton celebrating with big handicap winner at Galway

Alan Magee
August 4, 2024 3:57 pm

Classic-winning rider turned trainer takes final-day feature with Physique.

Classic-winning jockey Micky Fenton bagged his biggest winner as a trainer when Physique won the EURO 100,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap at Galway.

The feature race on the final day of the week-long festival, Fenton – who won the 1000 Guineas on Pam Sly’s Speciosa in 2006 – booked Seamie Heffernan for the four-year-old.

Adopting his usual front-running tactics, which had seen him agonisingly caught close home in his last two races at Killarney and Naas, this time he held on to win at 9-1.

Making full use of his draw in stall three, Heffernan soon had an early advantage but again looked vulnerable turning into the straight.

Dunum had tracked him all the way and seemed sure to pick him up, but inside the final furlong his challenge floundered and it was left to Hurricane Ivor to lay down the final challenge, but he went down by half a length.

Physique holds off Hurricane Ivor to win the Ahonoora (Niall Carson/PA)

“We were moaning that we didn’t win the last day, but it’s worked even better today,” said Fenton.

“There is one way to ride him and he likes to get on with things. He gets a bit wound up if you try to hold him back and Seamie knows him after riding him the last couple of times. He kept going on the ground.

“That’s just my third winner as a trainer and I’m a bit in shock to be honest.

“It’s amazing for the Sheehans who have the Grand Hotel in Killarney. Patsy owns him and took over the horses from his brother John who trained in the UK.

“John rang me one day and said I’m retiring to Ireland and I’ll have a few horses with you. Unfortunately John died of cancer so Patsy took over the horses and I’m sure John is looking down on us today.”