Fallon back on a happy hunting ground

It has been a long time since Kieren Fallon has ridden at Sligo but he enjoyed his trip west today after guiding Oiche Mhaith Boy home in the extended mile and a half handicap.

Afterwards, the 51-year-old was asked if this was the first time he was at Sligo since being apprenticed to Kevin Prendergast and he replied: "Yes, I rode a winner round here in a mile nursery. It was a long time ago but you know it's a fair track. I like it, I think the track rides real well. There's no undulations like you have on a lot of the tracks. It's soft ground and horses like it around here.

"I think he (Oiche Mhaith Boy) just does enough. I was surprised actually two days later as the ground was very soft in Limerick and I couldn't believe he came back out and won so soon (in Gowran Park). It just goes to show how tough he is.

"When they come to me there he was always holding them, he picked up again for me. I knew I had a little bit left. He's just tough and he loves to win. He's progressing, he's getting better. He has to be tough to deal with these conditions and keep trying."

This brought up a hat-trick for Kieran Purcell's Oiche Mhaith Boy. Fallon was on board in Limerick last month before Killian Leonard won an apprentice handicap on him at Gowran Park.

In today's assignment, he got on terms with Face Value two furlongs down and soon edged ahead.

Fallon was hard at work on him in the home straight as Shamar looked dangerous on the outside. However, Oiche Mhaith Boy battled on gamely and the 6/5 favourite had three parts of a length in hand at the line from the 12/1 shot.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee