McCreery/Dowling win again

Willie McCreery and Seamus 'Sos' Dowling soldiered together for the Kildare cause on many an occasion on the football field and the pair combined in the trainer/owner roles as Queen Commander (2nd in subsequent 1,000 Guineas heroine Bethrah's Limerick maiden) landed the www.angloprinters.ie Claiming Race at Laytown in the hands of Seamie Heffernan.

The victorious Chineur filly hit the lead about a furlong out here and she stayed at it well to beat the well-backed front-running favourite, Secret Hero by two and a half lengths.

McCreery said of his four-year-old, getting off the mark at the nineteenth attempt on the level: "She was due her day. She was well-in here (top-rated off 65).

"I've had this race in mind for her for four weeks. She ran over hurdles last time to sweeten her up and she had a lovely run to finish fifth at Down Royal.

"She did it easy today and she loves hard/fast ground and we might look at a few races in Dundalk for her.

"A six or seven furlong straight like that suits her as she had pelvis trouble as a two-year-old."

McCreery concluded by joking that he used to "carry" Dowling when the pair played with the Lilywhites.