McSweeney gets off the mark on Irish return

Kildare native Oisin McSweeney registered a first Irish winner today since returning from England in recent weeks, steering Dun Na Sead (20/1) to win Dundalk's opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap for new employer trainer Kieran Cotter.

A Curragh juvenile debut winner in 2021, the daughter of Starspangledbanner today ended a six-race losing run, breaking smartly from 13 to make all and comfortably beat Tai Sing Yeh

McSweeney partnered 12 of his 48 career winners for previous employer Kevin Ryan in England and Cotter reported "Oisin has come over to join us and is in the process of getting signed up as an apprentice for our yard. It is a great start and I'm delighted for him. He's a hard-working lad and he'll get huge amount of support in Ireland."

Regarding Dun Na Sead he added "she has a serious amount of speed, she bolted up when she won her two-year-old maiden at the Curragh and we thought there was going to be huge promise to come from her.

"Last season went astray with one problem after the next and she had two wind operations. We were a little bit disappointed the last day, even though it was over six (furlongs).

"The Kildare Racing Syndicate are big supporters of our yard and they have been very patient with this filly. Hopefully, they will have a bit of fun now because I think she might be better on grass.

"There could be a nice pot in her somewhere along the way.”

Quotes from Michael Graham