Pub Talk (8/11f) was claimed for the second time in his career for €20,000 today, having won Dundalk's opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race, for owner/trainer James McAuley and champion jockey Colin Keane.

McAuley purchased the son of Mondialiste for that sum after another claimer success last November and today notched a third win, when easily beating Redshore City

Shortly after the race McAuley reported “Colin is riding five for me today and before the race we were joking, saying he'd have four non-runners if this fella was beaten! I wouldn't want to lose him but this is the game we play with the claimers.

“We gave €20,000 for him, he is in for €20,000 and has already won €11,000 in prize money for us. He was classy for that grade and his placed handicap form was good enough to do that and he did it well.”

He added “we are short on staff so if we run them up here, we are quieter at home. They are fit and well but were quiet for December and January. They seem to be coming back to form and that is three winners in the last four weeks.

“When they come back in form, we may as well tip away again. James Ryan and Robert Whearty come in (to ride work) but are both suspended today unfortunately and we'll support them for the rest of Dundalk."

Pub Talk was indeed later claimed by Thomas McDonagh and The Varland Syndicate and will now be trained by Denis Hogan. Western Cape which finished third, was the subject of a friendly claim.

Quotes from Michael Graham