Michael Sweeney has already made a big impression this season, forming a successful partnership with Declan Queally, and Sweeney was responsible for one of the moments of the season at Boulta this afternoon, which was captured by leading racing photographer Liam Healy.
The leading novice rider was aboard Queally’s Ask Heather in the day’s third race, the Flavin Footwear Youghal winner of one, and the seven-year-old who had hit the front at the penultimate fence, had the initiative when making a serious error at the last.
That mistake shot the 21-year-old Cappoquin native out of the saddle and over her right-hand shoulder.
Sweeney had seemed destined to hit the deck, only to somehow manage to climb back into the saddle
The recovery itself was remarkable, however the incredible feat was completed when the pair picked-up strongly on the run-in to claim victory, defeating Colin Bowe’s Fort Worth Texas by four lengths, with Whatsdastory, who was badly hampered in the incident, finishing third.
The victory completed a hat-trick on the bounce for the daughter of Ask who has been undefeated since joining Queally’s yard.
The success provides Sweeney with his seventh winner of the campaign, and sees him extend his advantage at the top of the Under-21 rider’s title to two winners over the reigning champion Shane Fitzgerald.
%u26A0%uFE0FRecovery of the Season%u26A0%uFE0F
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) January 20, 2019
Watch Michael Sweeney's miraculous recovery aboard Ask Heather at the last today from the Killeagh P2P at Boulta.
Somehow they went on to win!
%uD83D%uDCFD Willie Murphy, Dunshaughlin pic.twitter.com/vILsGBJEnw
