An Saighdiur goes on to win at the Curragh under Mickey Cleere© Photo Healy Racing
Mickey Cleere featured in the Irish Field lately when he commented how he'd "started out as a fresh faced 14-year-old back in the late 90s with Andy Slattery" and the well-travelled jockey (spent time in Australia and New Zealand) gained a famous success for the Meadowview Stables trainer when capturing the Paddy Power Sprint Premier Handicap at the Curragh on An Saighdiur
Prolific on the all-weather at Dundalk, An Saighdiur got through the testing ground well here and overcame the drawback of racing from 5Ibs out of the handicap. He was always on the pace and once asked for his effort from over a furlong out, the Acclamation gelding found plenty to beat Arctic by a length and a half.
Andy Slattery trains the five-year-old for the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate and he said: "The owners asked me six months ago if he could run on Derby Day.
"They had a table booked today for one of their son's birthdays. He was 5Ibs out of the handicap but he had to run. I thought the ground was too soft for him but I would have fancied him on good ground.
"I always thought he'd go on grass – I never thought that would be a problem.
"Mickey is only recently back from Australia. He's always been a good rider and it's great for him. Hopefully things will get going for him now." (GC & EM)
