Plough Boy gains maiden Dundalk win

Plough Boy added an eighth racecourse to his list of winning venues when landing the Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk Handicap at Dundalk today in a three-way photo-finish for trainer Garvan Donnelly and jockey Colin Keane.

Plough Boy’s previous seven wins were gained at Lingfield, Kempton, Wolverhampton, Tipperary, Down Royal, Killarney and the Curragh but was today breaking his duck in Co Louth at the eighth attempt. The son of Dandy Man eventually came out the right side of a tight finish to beat Captain Cullen by a nose with a head back to Geological

“It was tight but I thought we had just sneaked it - we’ve come out the wrong side a few times lately so I was just a bit worried,” said Donnelly.

“He’s a good tough hardy horse, has been running solidly all year and loves fast ground. He has just been a bit keen early in his races and burning himself out. We put the hood on to see if it would relax him and they went good and hard which suits him.

“The handicapper has given him a bit of a chance so we’ll keep going. He’s easy trained and keeps himself fit.”

Plough Boy’s win was the second of the evening for jockey Keane.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson