Successive doubles moves Slevin to seven

J.J. Slevin is setting the pace in the early stages of the Jockeys' Championship and completed consecutive daily doubles today, steering aptly named Must Be Dreaming to win Wexford's Calor Gas Handicap Hurdle (div II).

The Cheltenham festival and Irish National-winning jockey bagged a Punchestown double yesterday and achieved the same feat today on the Garrett Ahern trained winner, which scored by three parts of a length from Duke Otto

Must Be Dreaming was debuting for Cork-based Ahern who said “we picked her up cheaply. She had a good run in Cork on the Flat and when she came up for sale, I thought she might make a summer mare. She is by Canford Cliffs and I thought she would like a bit of nicer ground and her dam (Maontri) was good on the Flat.

“JJ said she has a real brain for hurdles so I don't think we will be going back on the level too fast. She won cannily enough and hopefully we can find another race like that.

“There is another one here in a fortnight's time but she is rated 89 so it depends what she gets from the handicapper."

Slevin raised funds for Muscular Dystrophy having his head shaved by Paul Townend last December and while unlikely to claim the scalp of the Champion Jockey this season, currently leads with seven winners.

Quotes from Donal Murphy