Duffy delivers with Phoenix Open

Garry Fleming cut a dash wearing a vibrant orange suit and tie at Gowran today as the colourful owner's Phoenix Open led home a '1-2-3' of the drawn numbers, in the Societies At Gowran Park Apprentice Handicap.

Jockey Danny Sheehy, wearing the owner's orange silks, broke Phoenix Open (2/1f) smartly from the all-important inside stall, raced prominently and readily defeated Fit For Function drawn in 2, with Salt Whistle Bay finishing third, from stall 3.

Phoenix Open's delighted trainer Shane Duffy revealed “Garry (Fleming) is a great character, is a professor at Trinity College and along with his wife Maj, a dentist in Maynooth, they have a massive love for the game. They adore their horses.

“For me with a small yard and in tough times, it is hard to keep owners. Garry has never once blinked and everything I need he does for me and I'm delighted to repay him.”

He added “I’ve been kicking myself going home a couple of times this year wondering how he got beat. He wants everything to fall right.

“He’s not ground dependent as he’s run well on soft ground but you have to fill him up with confidence. Danny was very good on him and filled him up turning in.”

Laois-based Duffy was completing a good day's work, having earlier purchased facile claimer winner Chicago Lightening for €20,000.

Quotes from Alan Magee