Tornado gets Dudfield off the mark

Ruth Dudfield recorded her first success in the saddle, on just her second ride, as she partnered Tornado Watch to victory in the last at Tramore, the Marthas & the Ritz Bar (Ladies) Maiden.

Dudfield, who is from near Banbury in the UK, made her race riding debut on this Emmet Mullins trained nine-year-old at Leopardstown last month, finishing second on that occasion.

Sent off a well-backed 6/4 favourite this evening (from 2s), the son of Selkirk was settled towards rear early on, before making good headway to lead with just over a circuit to race.

He was pressed from a furlong out, but kept on well in the closing stages to hold off Classic Theatre (4/1) and Screaming Rose (3/1) by half a length and a nose.

Mullins said afterwards: "It's Ruth's second ever ride and I’m delighted for her. She's done a great job there. She is from England, near Banbury and has been riding out at Willie’s for nearly two years now.

"She loves her horses and her racing, and it’s great to be able to give her a winner.

"A professor of mine, Seamus Hennessy, from Cistercian College Roscrea, had a birthday recently, and we were able to swing it a bit and get his name down on the card. It was a huge thing for Seamus," - winner is owned by the Happy Birthday Seamus Partnership.

Mullins added: "He is an enthusiastic horse and he really keeps trying. God only knows where we’ll go with him.

"He won his maiden now so he could follow up in a Flat handicap before a winner campaign over hurdles."