Ghirl springs a surprise for Smyth/McCullagh Kano's Ghirl ran out a surprise 25/1 winner of the Johnny Cash Tribute After Racing 3yo Handicap, as she made all to score under Niall McCullagh for Lee Smyth. The daughter of Kodiac was previously trained in the UK by Keith Dalgleish and she won a Selling Stakes at Musselburgh on her fourth start last September. Having shown very little since joining Smyth she was sent off the outsider of the field on her sixth start for the Co Down based trainer. After breaking smartly to lead she was ridden over two furlongs out and kept on well inside the final furlong to score by half a length at the line. Tom Dooley (5/1) ran on well to take second under Declan McDonogh for Michael Mulvany, while Lady Ranger was a further length and a quarter back in third under Sean Corby for Adrian Keatley at 5/1. Shinyhappyjohn was sent off the 7/2 favourite under Leigh Roche for James Nash and he finished a disappointing fifth. Lee Smyth said afterwards: "That is their (the winning owners the Lamont Racing Partnership) first Irish winner. "They have quite a few horse with Keith Dalgleish in England. That's the first horse they have given me a chance with. They are going to give me some more as well so it is great to get off the mark with her. "She shows plenty at home and we were a bit disappointed not to have won with her before now. "She has been slowly away a few times but Niall got her out and got her up there. We had here in the five furlong race but we didn’t want to take on the older horses. "She was the outsider here because she had a few mediocre runs against older horses. She was back in her own bracket tonight. "The plan was to get out and cut across to the wide outside for the better ground. I’m delighted and that was Niall’s first ride for me." Craig McClymont heads up Lamont Racing Partnership. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
