The Doc’s point-to-point bumper at Gowran was pitched as the clash between two of the star autumn four-year-old maiden winners in Bob Olinger and Coqolino, however it swiftly developed into a one-horse race, as the former produced an impressive display.
Sent off as the clear second favourite following his 15-length rout of the field at Turtulla in November when with Pat Doyle, the Sholokhov gelding was sporting new colours on Saturday, having been purchased privately by Robcour.
Making all of the running, with the well-backed odds-on favourite, Coqolino, never too far away, he began to get the upperhand in the final quarter of a mile, picking up strongly in the hands of Patrick Mullins, the five-year-old eased clear to make a winning stable debut by a margin of ten lengths.
Coqolino was all out to fend off the challenge of the Borris House-winning mare Katoune Tara to claim the second spot by a nose.
The impressive success provided trainer Henry de Bromhead with back-to-back wins in the race, having won last year’s edition with the current favourite for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at next week’s Cheltenham Festival, Minella Melody, and he will now step his exciting recruit up in grade.
“We hoped he was a nice horse and he had been working nicely. Obviously the favourite looked very nice as well. I'm delighted with our fella and he's an exciting horse,” said de Bromhead to IrishRacing.com.
“He had been working nice but he had to go against my bumper stats as well which is no mean feat!
“I'm delighted for Robcour and the Achesons. It's great for Patrick to win the race (named in honour of Dr Brendan Doyle) and I'm honoured to win it.
“He's entitled to go for a winners’ bumper. I don't know where or when, today was Plan A.
"You have Aintree and Punchestown and we'll discuss it with the owners and see what they want to do.
“I was concerned about the ground being a bit too soft. He has worked well on good ground and up the sand at the Curragh so better ground shouldn't be a problem.”
“He had been working nice but he had to go against my bumper stats as well which is no mean feat!
“I'm delighted for Robcour and the Achesons. It's great for Patrick to win the race (named in honour of Dr Brendan Doyle) and I'm honoured to win it.
“He's entitled to go for a winners’ bumper. I don't know where or when, today was Plan A.
"You have Aintree and Punchestown and we'll discuss it with the owners and see what they want to do.
“I was concerned about the ground being a bit too soft. He has worked well on good ground and up the sand at the Curragh so better ground shouldn't be a problem.”
%u2705 Point scorer
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 7, 2020
%u2705 Related to several winners
%u2705 Impressive debut under Rules
Bob Olinger displays a decisive turn of foot to land the finale at @GowranPark1 for @HenrydeBromhead & Patrick Mullins in the manner of a very smart performer!
Results %u27A1 https://t.co/glajGUNuih pic.twitter.com/cTUhzrDWtw
