Irene Oakes saddled her first double at a sun-dreched Sligo yesterday evening when both Baggios Best and Amocachi successfully adopted front-running tactics around this tight right-handed circuit.
The flat races were all started by flag, and Baggios Best made all after a fast start under Pat Smullen in the Strandhill Maiden. The son of Common Grounds kept on under pressure in the straight to hold Forbidden Pleasure by three quarters of a length.
Ms Oakes, who has 20 in training, doubled up an hour later with Amocachi in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap. The six-year-old responded gamely in the straight for Emmett Stack to beat Nero's Dancer by three and a half lengths.
'This is all down to my head lad Aidan Sweeney. Amocachi is a really hard puller, and nobody else can ride him at home,' said Ms Oakes.
The Tony Martin-trained Fergals Dream was well-backed from 6/1 to 7/2 favourite, and duly obliged with the minimum of fuss in the Smirnoff Handicap Hurdle. Barry Geraghty's mount drew clear in the straight to beat Knockrigg by 12 lengths.
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