Meath farmer Jimmy Swan (34) laid claims to having landed a monster bet after his Prince Of Tara took the opening Moyola Mattress Company Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick yesterday.
Swan reputedly struck a bet of #100,000 to win a million with an offshore bookmaker earlier this year, naming his eight horses to win a total of six races between them before December 14.
The Stephen Mahon-trained Prince Of Tara started the bet rolling when landing a bumper at Navan in April, and clinched the big payout when leading two out under Barry Geraghty to beat General Alarm by three lengths. Swan's other winners were the Mahon-trained Persian Life, and Kevin Prendergast's pair Arkaga (twice) and Baron De Feypo.
'He is a very lazy horse, and would be much better suited by three miles on a more galloping track,' said Mahon, who added, 'The only reason he ran here was to get the bet up for Jimmy.'
The father and son team of Paddy and Martin Mooney teamed up to take the INHS Committee Opportunity Handicap Chase with Political Animal, who got up in the final strides to touch off the front-running Clady Boy by a neck.
Arctic Native heads for a winners of one at Thurles next Thursday after showing great reserves of stamina in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle. The five-year-old mare led after three out for David O'Leary to beat My Native Land by nine lengths, and trainer Philip Rothwell commented, 'He loves soft ground, and stays really well.'
Alan Magee
