Owega Star sparkled the brightest in the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle
Racing after nearly a month got the five-year-old bay gelding, Owega Star, the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle on 16th December, 2012 at Navan race course over two miles and four furlongs. The Peter Fahey trained took down the field in the companionship of
jockey, Andrew Leigh.
He stayed in the rear at the beginning of the race, and notched up to the second position only when half the track distance went down. His aggressive stance got him charge of the field even when there were more than three furlongs to the wire.
Keeping a firm grip on the strategy, he handled Maller Tree, the closing in rival, and defeated him by 1 ¾ lengths.
It was part effort of the winner and part luck that the chaser, Maller Tree, could not pull back after the last blunder and left the field vulnerable.
Fahey said: "He really deserved that. If you look back through his form he has never run a bad race.”
"He'll probably only have one or two more runs this season as I can't wait for next year over fences - he's a brilliant jumper. I'd say the plan will be to bring him back good and early over fences.”
"Andrew gets on with him really well. He's not the easiest horse to ride and can mess around and whip around at the start. This was our Derby day today."
This success came Basanta’s Irish brown gelding’s way through the fourth seasonal outing. After the truly horrific sixth position in the seasonal debut, the five-year-old made an impression by improving gradually, progressing from the third to first position
in the races that followed.
The connections have planned for him only a few more outings before the season is set to rest. His incredible form has already got the trainer all anxious and curious about Owega Star’s brilliance over fences when the new season kink starts.
He qualified as the runner-up in the Punchestown Annual Membership From 95 Euro Hurdle on 17th November, 2012 at Punchestown over two miles and six furlongs.
He followed the winner, Un Beau Matin, on the other end of the wire after closing in on 2 ½ lengths.
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