Impressive Westerner Mare Records Second Listed Win

Western Victory (8m Westerner - Zara’s Victory, by Old Vic) proved the class act when landing the Listed Pat Walsh Memorial Mares Hurdle for the second time at Gowran Park.

Successful in the two mile hurdle in 2019, Declan Queally’s charge was sent off second favourite to repeat her feat and looked the likely winner when clear approaching the third last. Pushed out on the run-in, she scored by ten lengths from Say Goodbye (Getaway).

Queally, who also rode the winner, later commented, “Western Victory jumped wonderfully and stayed well. It is some thrill to ride a horses like that.”

Owned by S O’Neill and bred by Tim Conroy, the daughter of Westerner is now a five-time winner over hurdles, twice a winner over fences and the winner of a point-to-point.

Copper Nation (4f Westerner - Copper Destiny, by Dubai Destination) added to a successful week for her Castlehyde Stud sire when justifying favouritism in the mares’ bumper at Tipperary on Sunday.

The Donal Coffey owned and trained mare made a winning debut in a four-year-old mares’ maiden at Dromahane in May and shaped with promise when finishing fourth in a Tramore bumper the following month.

Reunited with Darragh Allen at the weekend, the bay made all and kept on strongly to score by three lengths and three quarters. She is the first foal bred by Ms Paula Coffey-Mulcahy out of a half-sister to black-type hurdler Copper Gone West (Westerner).