Havelock Ellis and Paul O'Neill (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Amateur jockey Paul O'Neill made a winning debut on the all-weather at Dundalk this evening when bridging a gap of ten years since his only previous racecourse winner, steering the Johnny Levins trained Havelock Ellis to win the concluding Dundalk Stadium On Facebook (Q.R.) Handicap.
O'Neill, who towers well over six foot and rides predominantly in point-to-points, gained his only previous winner on subsequent Aintree Grand National runner-up King Johns Castle in a Gowran bumper in December 2004.
The amateur rider, who runs the well known Kilnacrandy Horse Training Facility in Co Clare, moved the son of Iffraaj into a challenging position entering the home straight and in the end comfortably beat off Luimneach Abu
The win was even sweeter for the rider as Levins later explained "it's a special day as the rider as he is a nephew of part-owner Conor O'Neill and I'm delighted it's worked out as they've been great patrons in the yard."
He added "he's an extraordinary horse; everything I've asked him to do he's done and more. Maybe I should ask him to win a Premier Handicap back on the turf!
"œMy old boss (Luimneach Abu's trainer Shane Broderick) was second so I'm sure I'll get a bit of a bollicking now!"
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
