Tom Weekes
Team Sligo 'not coming home' from Kilbeggan
Cairnshill and Derek Fox
© Photo Healy Racing
Grand National winning jockey Derek Fox and trainer Mark McNiff have enjoyed some memorable moments recently and themselves provided owners Sligo Racing Club with more reasons to be cheerful when the team combined for a win with Cairnshill in the Greville Arms Hotel Mullingar Handicap Hurdle at Kilbeggan.
Fox put Sligo on the racing map when steering One For Arthur to win jump racing’s most famous race in April while fellow countyman McNiff himself enjoyed a fine day at Downpatrick on June 17 with a treble and today Cairnshill got off the mark at the 14th attempt, much to the satisfaction of the winning Club.
That Sligo Racing Club were in attendance and in fine form following the race, singing "we won't be home in the morning" in the winners' enclosure.
Shortly afterwards McNiff added “he’s been unlucky a couple of times and he had a solid run the last day. I didn't think this track would be ideal for him but he was in good form and we took a chance."
Quotes from Alan Magee