Bumper winner would 'gallop for Ireland'

The John Nicholson trained Fort Montagu made all for success in the concluding Bet With Tote (C & G) Bumper at Tramore today, scoring on bumper debut under jockey Finny Maguire.

The son of French stallion Fuisse was pulled up on his only previous point to point run but today scored a two and a quarter lengths win over Or Jaune De Somoza

Nicholson later said “this is a lucky track for me, and Finny has been a lucky for me. I rang him the other night and told him this was a half decent horse, so he said he'd see if he could get off study!

"I didn't have him when he ran in his point-to-point, but it was soft ground then and he is a good ground horse. He'd gallop for Ireland, is a smashing horse and I only have him a month. I got him from Ross O'Sullivan and he had done plenty of work with him.

"I have an excuse now to go to Punchestown - if the ground is good he'll run in a winners bumper.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Donal Murphy