Here For The Craic provides Budds with first success

Alannah Budds recorded her first career success, as she partnered Here For The Craic to victory in the last at Tipperary this evening, the Toomey's Applegreen Filling Station (Ladies) Handicap.

Budds was third on this eleven-year-old gelding in the Ladies Derby at the Curragh, but he since disappointed at Galway Festival on Sunday last.

Trained by Ken Budds, a cousin of the winning rider, in Tallow, Co Waterford, the now five-time victor was sent off a 6/1 (available at 16s in early shows).

Settled towards rear, the son of Millenary took closer order approaching the straight, and was ridden from two furlongs out.

He was fourth a furlong from home, and kept on best from there, getting up in the closing stages to score by a neck.

The 4/1 favourite Universal Focus was the one just denied, and he had to settle for second under Jodie Townend for Ross O'Sullivan.

Talasara (16/1) was another three parts of a length back in third, with Laura Hourigan aboard this one for Tom Foley.

The winning rider said afterwards: "I'm Ken's (trainer) cousin and from near Killeagh in Co Cork. That was my fourth ride. I'm 17 and am going to do my Leaving Cert next year."

"That was unbelievable! I rode him at the Curragh in the Ladies Derby and I've been his groom now for the last three or four years so I know him fairly well."

STEWARDS REPORT

John Gerard Fitzgerald, trainer of Cinnabar Reds, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his charge lost its action in running.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes