Royal Boru keeps up the gallop under Keith Donoghue, from Stay With It© Photo Healy Racing
Since equipped with a hood, Royal Boru has won, and fallen at the last when shaping as a winner, and he made up for that Perth mishap last time, when scoring under Keith Donoghue in the McHale F5500 Baler Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe.
It was a popular winner at the Mayo track amongst many punters too, as the top-weight found 9/4 favouritism from 3/1 on course, and bigger earlier.
After looking like he might prevail handily, when continuing to bound on from the front along the back straight, he had to dig in to get the better of Stay With It by two lengths.
"He was unlucky not to win the second day in Perth. He has matured mentally more than anything, the penny has dropped with him and he can switch off now," said successful handler Gillian Callaghan, also on the mark at Ffos Las on Saturday night with the Donoghue partnered Catcher On The Go.
"He will keep going over the summer, he likes that ground and we will hopefully get a bit more fun out of him. His owner (Callaghan's brother-in-law, Pearse) has definitely had plenty of patience with him and we have to reward him for that now!"
The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined No Kidding trained by Martin Brassil, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be clinically abnormal post race.
(DM & EM)
