Whelan brace achieved at Dundalk on "very big" Sense Of Worth

Ronan Whelan doubled up at Dundalk on top-weight and odds-on favourite Sense Of Worth in the second split of the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap.

Despite his wanderings late on the Street Sense gelding held on by a nose from 66/1 shot Rodney Bay building on second placings here over shorter last month. Herodotus at 50/1 was six and a half lengths back in third whilst Maricruz deserves a mention in fourth.

She lost considerable ground at the start and did well to come from a tailed off in last position early.

Ronan Whelan won the 2.50 contest on Maar for Ado McGuinness.

“He's a very big horse. We had him for a while and he's the biggest horse I've ever trained, he's genuinely over 17 hands,” said winning trainer Andy Oliver.

“We always thought there was potential there and we just waited on him.

“We ran him back here the first couple of times over a mile, it looked like he had to step up and I'm delighted he did it today.

“But even there you can see there is always somebody to come and get you and we were lucky to win.

“It was a nice ride form Ronan, he did everything right, and it was just greenness when he hit the front. He was all over the place but it gave us a moment of amusement, luckily it worked out.

“He'd had two seconds so I supposed he deserved it and we'll go from there. He looks like a horse that will hopefully continue to improve.

“He's a young horse by any other code and he's very unexposed so hopefully he's a horse we'll have some fun with.”

Siobhan Rutledge, rider of Maricruz trained by John C. McConnell, reported to the Clerk of Scales that her mount reared up leaving the stalls.

D. McMonagle, rider of Scarlet Seymour trained by Luke Comer, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount leaned left in the closing stages.

James J. Doyle, rider of Rodney Bay trained by Joseph Anthony Murray, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount leaned both ways in the closing stages.

(GC & EM)