Double for Roche ahead of 21st celebrations

Jockey Leigh Roche completed a double on his last day as a 20 year old at Dundalk this evening when steering La Belle Maison to win the Dundalk Stadium - Light Up Your Night Handicap at Dundalk for trainer Willie McCreery.

Roche, who works for Dermot Weld and turns 21 tomorrow, can wake up a few minutes late and be content with his lot tomorrow morning, having been successful on Cookie Crumbles before rewarding favourite backers with 5/4 chance La Belle Maison,.

Afterwards McCreery stated “La Belle Maison had a very bad infection in a hind leg as a two year old and that set her back a year and she didn't really mature the way other horses mature.

“She'll either run again or go straight to stud but I don't think she'll run again. Her owner/breeder is Patrick Burns, of Newlands House Stud, and she is going to be covered by Born To Sea (Sea The Stars' brother).”

Quotes from Michael Graham