Jockey Joe Doyle celebrates his first win with his dad Jim and Inis Meain © Photo Healy Racing
Joe Doyle rode the first winner of his career on long odds on favourite Inis Meain in the apprentice handicap at Leopardstown – and he certainly won’t ride many easier winners in his career.
The Denis Hogan-trained five-year-old was turning out again after making all in Killarney three days ago to win by four and three parts of a length in another apprentice handicap when ridden by Ronan Whelan.
He was fully expected to score this evening under a mandatory five pound penalty (negated by his young jockey’s seven pound claim) and did so with the minimum of fuss by four and a quarter lengths at 2/5 from 4/6 in the morning.
Doyle sent his charge to the front early and he shook him up a furlong out to come in unchallenged from Regal Tramp (16/1) and Valbucca who stayed on for third at 12/1.
Tipperary-based Denis Hogan said: “It’s great for young Joe. He’s 16 and a local fellow. He signed on to Charlie Swan and he would ride work for us.
“He’s ridden a lot of pony race winners and it’s good to get the ball rolling for him.”
“I’m delighted for the owner Liam O’Kelly. He’s very supportive of me and the whole yard.
“I don’t know where we’ll go with him. We had to come here today as he’s gone up to 66 [in the handicap] and that’s going to be tough.
“He had 17 pounds in hand today so he was entitled to win, but it’ll be tough from here now.”
Doyle got off the mark as a jockey on his 33rd ride. The winner paid 17/10 on the Tote.
Michael Graham (on course reporting by Gary Carson)
