James McAuley (left) with his uncle James Gough and Ajax Tavern's jockey Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
Ajax Tavern registered a fifth career success at Dundalk today as the James McAuley owned and trained gelding landed the Willie Buckley Memorial Handicap under Champion Jockey Colin Keane.
The son of Canford Cliffs was claimed by McAuley on January 5 after today's success he reported “he'd really been going well and we were humming and hawing about running him over seven furlongs and five furlongs on his last start.
“Sam (Ewing) thought he'd won over seven so it might be best going with the tried and tested but he didn't stay. He seemed to stay it in claimers but didn't in the handicap.
“Foolishly when we were at the sales over in Tattersalls we took a chance in the five furlong race two days later as he was already entered in it. He was completely flat.
“He looks completely ungenuine, every time I see him he looks to have a horrible head carriage but he's fully genuine and never seems to shirk it.”
He added “he has no choice but to go for premier handicaps now. Those type of races that he's running in up here, if they were on grass they'd be premier handicaps. Short of dropping back into claimers there aren't many other races for him.
“We're not going to find any easy races for him now but he's more than paid for himself. He owes us nothing so we'll tip away and see how he goes.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
