Promising Pair Complete Double For Walk In The Park

Coolmeen Park (5g Walk In The Park - Alpine Glade, by Oscar) completed the first leg of a double for Walk In The Park at Thurles when getting off the mark in the maiden hurdle for Ellmarie Holden.

Fifth on last month’s rules debut, the son of Walk In The Park dropped down in trip on Thursday and raced in midfield for much of the way under Ben Harvey, Making headway from three out, he was ridden to take second at the final flight and kept on well to assert close home, leading by a neck on the line.

“Coolmeen Park did it well,” the winning trainer said after the race. We always liked him and the nicer ground here suited him.”

Owned by Mrs Catherine Holden, Coolmeen Park was bought by Michael Shefflin and Paul Holden at the store sales for €140,000. The improving bay was bred by John O’Dwyer out of a black-type full-sister to Grade 1 winner Rock On Ruby (Oscar).

The Willie Mullins-trained Nick Rockett (6g Walk In The Park - Eireann Rose, by Flemensfirth) led home a 1-2 for Grange Stud sires past and present in the bumper later on the card.

The winner of a four-year-old maiden on his sole start for Pat Doyle, he finished a promising fourth on his first start for new connections in December and was sent off favourite to build on that effort. Ridden to make all by Charlie Mullins, he travelled strongly throughout and was asked to quicken after passing the two furlong pole. Running on well inside the final furlong, he won by four and a half lengths, as Littlefoot (Milan) ran on for second.

Owned by Stewart and Sadie Andrew, Nick Rockett was bred by Kieran Cotter out of a full-sister to multiple black-type winner Emily Gray (Flemensfirth).