Whelan shines on Chroi Ronan Whelan gave Gra Geal Mo Chroi a confident ride to take the mile-and-a-quarter claimer at Sligo. The Austin Leahy-trained mare cruised into the lead with over two furlongs to run and stayed on well when popped the question down the straight. The daughter of Imperial Ballet posted a length-and-three-quarters verdict over King's Jester, who had finished well to pip Tipper Road for second. "She's been consistent and loves that soft ground - that's the key to her," said Leahy. "We'll probably run her at Killarney next in a 1m3f race - she likes it there. "I didn't enter her for the claimer at Bellewstown as I thought the ground would be a bit quick. "But I think there might be plenty of claimers at Dundalk over the winter so she might be making a few trips up the M50." The winner is owned by Jack Fitzgerald, who had his colours carried by good racemare Shannon Spray, winner of the Saval Beg Stakes, in the past. There were no claims for any of the runners after the race.
