McGovern slips into winning mode Eighteen-year-old Conor McGovern from Clones, County Monaghan rode his first winner when Michael Halford saddled the one two in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Race as Slipper Orchid beat Sea Coast at Dundalk. McGovern was impressive considering his lack of experience in such a scenario as he brought his mount, a daughter of Verglas equipped with first-time cheek-pieces, down the inside in the final quarter mile. In the end the successful roan-coloured five-year-old crossed the line a length and a quarter to the good from her stable companion Sea Coast. "Conor is a grand young lad but he's heavy and I'd say he'll end up going jumping. "He's a naturally good horseman and I'm delighted to be able to give him a winner," explained Halford. On the mare he said: "She likes it around here and she was suited by the small field. "I'll stick the two of them in at Naas next week (the Garnet Stakes) and there's a listed race back here in a few weeks. "It's probably more likely that they'll come back here for that." (AM & EM)
