Gilligan keen to credit family as he gets back to the number one

Back with runners since November having lost his licence for running one of his inmates in flapping races, Cheltenham festival winning handler Paul Gilligan trained his first winner since August 2016 when Nellie Pledge took the penultimate event at Navan.

A drifter on track from 7/2 out to 5/1 for this Race Displays Event Signage Handicap Chase, Nellie Pledge made virtually all under Gilligan's son Liam. Duke Cass did best of those trying to lay a glove on Nellie Pledge, owned and bred by Paul's wife and Liam's mother, Natalie, but nine lengths was as close as he could get to the victorious Dubai Destination mare.

Out of action for 18 months due to a sanction concerning a horse named Dubai Phantom, Gilligan was keen to credit his family for this win, saying: "All credit goes to my kids because they ride her out. Without them we wouldn’t be able to continue on the way things have gone.

“She’s in again tomorrow, and we’ll see how she is in the morning. I doubt if she will run but if it cut up even more why not take a chance and you could end up with black type.

“Natalie (wife and owner) will want to breed off her down the road so some black type would be great.

“She loved it out there, winged her fences and Liam gave her a good ride.

“Off some of her old form and her run in Thurles I gave her a chance but you never know where you are when you don’t have a lot of runners.”

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Doldido trained by Michael Winters, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

J.S. McGarvey, rider of Doldido trained by Michael Winters, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount jumped poorly and was pulled up.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Cap'n trained by Paul W. Flynn, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

(AM & EM)