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Welcome winner for Hourigan

Humm Baby Humm Baby
© Photo Healy Racing

Michael Hourigan saddled since his winner since last September when Humm Baby struck in the two-and-a-half mile handicap at Sligo.

The 13/2 shot (9/1 in morning) was produced to challenge two from home by David Mullins and hit the front going to the last.

The daughter of Mahler stuck on well on the run-in to record a two-length win over An'ball

“I'm glad she won. She belongs to three Irish/English people,” said Hourigan.

“It's just great that she won again. The nice bit of ground makes the difference. She hadn't much to spare.

“We'll look for something similar. I had her in a Flat race at Clonmel the other and was anxious but I was a shade afraid of the ground.

“She won on heavy in Listowel but she's not a big mare and you have to make it as easy as you can. She's a bit like myself, she's short.

“Times are not good and it's just the way things are. In my early days there was Jim Dreaper, Edward O'Grady and a bunch of them there.

“It's just that there is more money about now than there was then. I'm at the end of it. I'm 56 years in this game. I went to the Curragh when I was 14 years of age and I'm 70 now.

“I know nothing else. I had a great time and I've had some great horses. You don't stay going forever. You can be a top athlete but you don't stay going forever and there's always a new kid coming along.

“Owners needs youngsters and trainers needs young people coming in. If you're young you get a bit of craic out of it. We had great craic and there were days we never went home from racing.

“We had great times and I still love what I do. I've no problem doing what I'm doing. It's just great to train a winner. They won't be as plentiful as there were but sure....”

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.