JOSH SHEAHAN IS the proud owner of the Top of the Town pub in Askeaton, Limerick. He owns a horse by the same name.
Top of the Town – the Equidae version – ran the 3:40 Michael English Country Music steeplechase in Sheahan’s home county yesterday. The gelding’s trainer, Charles Byrne, had twice tasted victory earlier the same afternoon, and Top of the Town entered his own race in fine fettle; he’d won three of his last six outings, including the Novice Chase in Tipperary in May, as well as wins in Roscommon and Bellewstown last summer.
Sheahan was understandably bullish about his horse’s chances, and gave the following pre-race interview to At The Races, who caught up with the sunglasses-clad Limerick man and his crew.
“If this horse wins, let me tell you, we will wreck the shop! We will wreck Limerick Racecourse if he wins,” was Sheahan’s ominous proclamation, before he was asked about the celebrations following ‘the Town’s win in Tipp.
“Six-and-a-half weeks. The man here – his wife left him over it! There was holy war over it! She left him, and do you know what he said to me? ‘T’was well worth the celebration’, he says! Hopefully anyway there’ll be more wives leaving them fellas tonight, Kev!”
By popular demand - the pre-race interview with Top Of The Town's owners. This is brilliant! pic.twitter.com/oVBHKyUmmq
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 9, 2017
In spite of Sheahan labeling Top of the Town “a certainty” while imploring At The Races viewers to “get on now,” the nine-year-old bay gelding finished 17-and-a-quarter lengths behind Baily Moon, trained by Mouse Morris.
The owner had ditched the shades, and was in more sombre form after his horse’s fifth-place finish in a field of eight. “What went wrong? I don’t know,” he told At The Races.
We’ll go back now to the Top of the Town. I’m pleading with ye here tonight, live on television. As many as ye can, will ye come to the Top of the Town and spend a few pound? Because I’m after losing a rake of money here today. Denny Gould is going to go home in a new suit and a new car and everything from me.
“So please – I’m begging ye live on television here tonight – please go back to the Top of the Town, and drink all your money here tonight!”
One of our favourite ever interviews - courtesy of Top Of The Town's losing owners... pic.twitter.com/Flit6KdMnV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 9, 2017
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Looks like Ronnie’s comment about no good
young players coming up just came back to bite him
@Ian D: he won’t give 2 fecks. He’s world champion
@Pat Andrews: not the point really. Fair play to the young lad
@Ian D: hopefully it does because he wasn’t wrong.
Would luv so much for an Irish player on the circuit. Best of luck to him.
Well done young man. Thats a hell of a scalp
Hill is a class act , watch this space folks .
Ronnie getting very thick towards the end of the match. Great to see.
@Miguel Sanchez: he wasn’t getting thick, they all hate it when a fluke ends their tournament, fair play to hill though was worth the win ! Plenty of swagger about him like a young jimmy white
@Didithedevil: I have not watched the match. So he flukes a pot to win the match??
@David: played a safety shot but had a stroke of luck and potted a red which was a fluke yes
@Didithedevil: in the first frame?
Been watching Aaron on the Irish amateur circuit for a couple of years and he is a good prospect. But watch out for another young Cork lad. Leone Crowley is 14 and has won national titles at all underage levels. He is currently under 18 champion and has beaten Aaron in many of these tournaments. In my opinion he is capable of really big things. He needs a good coach to get him to slow down and focus a bit more but that will probably happen with age and experience anyway. There must be something good in the water down in Cork