Donovan records first Irish winner

Former Barney Curley employee-turned trainer Des Donovan registered his first winner since returning to his native Ireland, at Limerick today, when his well backed Severus comfortably landed the Racing Again June 23rd Handicap, under 7lbs claimer Nathan Crosse.

Severus, a son of Shiroco, was backed from 20/1 this morning and from 8/1 on-track, in to 7/1 at the off, and in the race quickened clear of his rivals inside the final furlong for a two and a half lengths win over Alans Pride

Donovan, who has held a British trainers’ license since 2011, trained Eye Of The Tiger to win at Lingfield in March 2014 as part of a four-horse £2m betting coup orchestrated by Curley and today reported “this is my first winner in Ireland and I’m back about 10 months now. We’ll stay where we are for now - I’m in Bansha, Co Tipperary, and I’ve about ten flat horses to run for the summer.

“We’ve had five (winners) in England (this year) and the horses have been running well but it’s competitive here so we bring a few across to England and campaign them over there. It’s a tough game but you have to keep at it.

“This fellow was second at Galway last year and we’ll see what the handicapper does and see how the races come up for him.

“Young Nathan (Crosse, having his fourth winner) gave him a great ride - I gave him his first ever ride at Dundalk and that’s his second ride for me. He’s based with Willie McCreery and comes down to ride out on Sundays - we’ll try and keep him going now.”

By Tom Weekes