Improvement on better ground sees mare claim Bay Leaf Maiden Hurdle
Walkinmayotomilan produced a decisive finish to take the Bay Leaf Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe, giving trainer Ross O’Sullivan and jockey Shane Markey a notable success on a sunlit Irish afternoon. The five-year-old daughter of Walk In The Park led inside the final half-furlong and went on to score by a length and a half after closing strongly.
Progress after a testing winter
The mare had shown little on her first starts under rules but displayed marked improvement here as she found more suitable conditions. Connections reported that she handles good ground well and had been disappointing on softer going over the winter months. A recent break and a return to quicker ground earlier in the season had been encouraging, and the performance at Ballinrobe built on that form.
Walkinmayotomilan did not have it all her own way: she missed the last obstacle but recovered quickly and showed the toughness to push on when it mattered. The mare also ran with a tongue-tie in place, equipment that her team felt helped after a minor respiratory noise noted on an earlier outing in Galway.
Team effort and local support
Shane Markey booked off a valuable claim to partner the mare and his weight advantage, combined with the mares’ allowance, yielded a useful concession to some opponents. It was a busy day for Markey, and the winner marked the fourth success of his season with the stable.
Walkinmayotomilan is owned by Damien Conway of Mayo, who was reported to be delighted with the result and was in contact with the stable immediately after the race. The mare is one of a small number in training with O’Sullivan, and her connections are optimistic about her future prospects.
Next steps
Trainer Ross O’Sullivan indicated that the mare’s scope is not limited to hurdles: she is a sizeable mare with the potential to step up to fences in time. For now, however, the emphasis will be on consolidating this improvement and selecting suitable targets on similar ground.
Ballinrobe provided an encouraging platform for the mare to record a first success under rules, and her performance will be noted by local racegoers and those who follow the provincial Irish racing scene ahead of the summer festival season.
- Race: Bay Leaf Maiden Hurdle, Ballinrobe
- Winner: Walkinmayotomilan
- Age/Sex: Five-year-old mare (by Walk In The Park)
- Trainer: Ross O’Sullivan
- Jockey: Shane Markey
- Winning margin: Approximately one and a half lengths
With her confidence boosted and conditions to suit, Walkinmayotomilan will be an animal to watch at further summer fixtures, particularly those offering good ground and a route towards novice chasing later in her career.
