Connections of Cloone RiverThe Kathleen Gillane-owned gelding Cloone River, trained by Paul Nolan and ridden by John Cullen, landed the 2004 Guinness Galway Hurdle by 2 lengths from Gemini Guest. Backed from 6/1 in the morning to 7/2 at the off, the winner had his supporters singing and dancing with delight throughout the enclosures.
O dream maker, you heart shaker,
Wherever you're going,
We're going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world,
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbows end
Around the final bend,
My Galway Hurdle friend,
Cloone River and me."
Winning trainer Paul Nolan said, "When he finished second this time last year, we decided that we would try again and we wouldn't be running him over hurdles in the meantime to protect his rating. It's super that the plan has worked out but I was beginning to panic when he was almost brought down early on and then had a loose horse for company going round the final bend."
The popular trainer was certainly feeling the pressure. He told Tracy Piggott, "The tension was giving me pins and needles up my left arm. I may go for a check-up."
Tracy Piggott interviews Paul Nolan Paul, in an effort to create some private space for himself, opted to watch the race from the in-field on the giant screen. But the all-seeing television camera zoomed in on his every reaction as Cloone River, narrowly defeated in last year's renewal, struggled to overcome interference in running.
"I've never been so affected by a race," the Enniscorthy trainer added. "I just wanted to get away. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was worried he hadn't run in a hurdle for so long and I was hoping nothing would happen."
Winning jockey John Cullen said, "I didn't get the best of runs but I was lucky. I travelled well and I knew there wouldn't be a problem setting him alight."
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