West Away sprang a 10/1 surprise in the 3:25 Wexford Racecourse Park Run Beginners Chase (2m3f20y) on Saturday, as Nadia’s Boy – backed from 5/6 in the morning into a prohibitive 4/11 – trailed home last of the six finishers for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.
| Pos | Horse | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | West Away | Patrick M O’Brien | 10/1 |
| 2nd | Jackson Lamb | Alex Harvey | 28/1 |
| 3rd | Scalpnagoon | Josh Williamson | 11/1 |
| 4th | William Tell | Peter Smithers | 9/2 |
Winning distances: 4½ lengths and 6½ lengths. Six ran; Begger was a non-runner. Time: 4m 45.20s. Going: good, good to yielding in places.
The Race Story
This was supposed to be the formality of the card, but fences have a way of rewriting scripts. Nadia’s Boy raced prominently early yet was never fluent, hitting the first, jumping right at the fifth and putting in a slow leap three out. By the time the field swung for home the market’s certainty had dropped to fourth and was treading water, eventually coming home sixth and last.
Up front, Patrick O’Brien kept things simple on West Away for trainer Paul Collins. The eight-year-old jumped soundly where it mattered, went on before the straight and galloped his rivals into the Bettyville undulations, with 28/1 shot Jackson Lamb staying on for second ahead of Scalpnagoon. William Tell, the 9/2 second favourite, was one-paced in fourth.
For punters who had piled into the banker all afternoon, it is a result that will sting well beyond County Wexford.
Tipster Accountability
Our morning Wexford preview nailed its colours to the mast – “Nadia’s Boy, confidently” was the verdict – and the Mullins banker was also the anchor of the site’s 45/1 four-fold, already holed by Ocean Murphy’s defeat in the 2:50. That accumulator is now formally dead. The preview’s saver, William Tell, could manage only fourth. None of the tracked tipsters in today’s tipster review – Templegate, Paul Kealy or Oddschecker – had a bet in this race, so the ledgers are untouched.
Looking Ahead
Mullins and Townend do not stay down for long, and the yard has a fascinating chance to answer back in the 5:35 mares bumper, where debutante Alicious is partnered by champion amateur Patrick Mullins against 11/8 favourite Honey Bucks. Before that, the 5:05 BoyleSports Handicap Chase features the progressive Lady Doyanne, the preview’s 3/1 pick on the Henry de Bromhead trainer angle. Earlier results from Bettyville, including Harpy Eagle’s win in the 2:50, are on the site now.
