Slaney Street was the second well backed winner of the opening two races at Dundalk today when landing the Happy Christmas To Our Patrons Nursery for trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Rory Cleary. A Shin Impala was well supported to win the opener and half an hour later Slaney Street, a son of Intense Focus, was backed from 16/1 in to 10/1 before scoring a half length win over George Boole

Slaney Street had failed to win in six previous starts but today, under bottom weight, also rewarded trainer/owner/breeder Bolger, who turns 75 on Christmas day, with a E10,000 bonus.

The trainer’s travelling head man Ger Flynn later commented “it good to get it (the win) at Christmas and a nice €10,000 bonus for the boss.”

“Rory (Cleary) said he handled the surface well, obviously he’s ran here a couple of times, and off that weight he was entitled to be in the picture.

“He stuck at it really well and a step up to a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half next year could be in the plans.”

By Tom Weekes. quotes from Gary Carson