Ryker storms home under McCullagh Storm Ryker made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden, scoring for Mick Halford and owner Eric Koh. Halford and Koh also teamed up with the 6/5 favourite Roman Wells, but that one could only manage third under Shane Foley. The winner is a son of American stallion Proud Citizen, while he was sold for 42,000 dollars as a yearling. Fitted with a tongue strap, he was sent off at 8/1 under Niall McCullagh. Settled in mid-division he was fifth as they entered the straight. He was ridden to challenge on the outer over a furlong from home, and kept on best inside the final furlong, getting up to score by a head. Fellow newcomer Indoctrination was the one just denied. He was returned at 16/1 (33's this morning and from 25's on-course) under Chris Hayes for trainer Tom Shaw. Halford said afterwards: "Not the biggest surprise in the world. He was a horse we liked. He had a good heave, he needed that now. He had been up here to work and he loved the surface. I was keen to get him started. He's a nice horse and has a lot of scope. He'll come on plenty for the race. "I'd say he would (go on grass). He's a big, leggy horse and I thought to get him started on that surface on a nice, level track was important for him. He gave a heave half way up the straight and cleared himself. He's a big baby and we had to be patient with him." STEWARDS REPORT * R.P. Cleary, rider of Sally Gap, trained by T.G.McCourt, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount clipped heels on leavings the starting stalls and subsequently hung badly during this race. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
