Locally trained Hero Of The Hour wins Dundalk's finale

Well backed Hero Of The Hour (morning 10/1, returned 4/1) won Dundalk's concluding Floodlit Friday Nights Handicap today in first-time blinkers, scoring for local trainer George Kingston, owner David Hoey and jockey Chris Hayes.

By Japanese stallion Lord Kanaloa, sire of top racemare Almond Eye, Hero Of The Hour was slowly away from the outside stall in 17 but eventually scored by a length and a half from Lexington Liberty

Kingston commented “he deserved it, he's had issues and a few injuries and we had to be careful but had more than enough ability to do that. Blinkers made him focus.

"The last day he should have challenged and he just rolled in behind a horse. I thought there is more to it than that and said we'd go with the blinkers.

"With most horses, but especially him, I like them dropped in and hope they go fast up front. It turned out to suit as he challenged early enough and stayed well.”

He added "I had different things going on, have four or five riding out, two for breaking and don't have many runners.”

Quotes from Michael Graham