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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Valac disappoints as Cradle gets off the mark

Mon 27th Apr 2015, 20:36

Cradle Mountain is ridden out by Donnacha O'Brien with Valac back in secondCradle Mountain is ridden out by Donnacha O'Brien with Valac back in second
© Photo Healy Racing

Donnacha O'Brien recorded his first winner of the Flat Turf Season as he partnered Cradle Mountain to victory in the last at Naas, the Best Price Guarantee At thetote.com Median Auction Maiden.

Trained by O'Brien's father Aidan the son of Mastercraftsman was well-beaten on his debut at Cork in October of last year before again finishing down the field at Dundalk in April.

He kept on well to finish second to Castlelyons at Cork on Monday last and he was sent off the 5/1 second favourite this evening.

Having raced in mid-division earlier on he was sent to the front after two furlongs and he was ridden over two furlongs out when joined by Valac

He regained the lead over a furlong from home and he kept on well under pressure from there, going on to score comfortably by two and three parts of a length.

Valac, who was sent off the 4/7 favourite, finished a disappointing second under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld while Newberry New (10/1) was a further half a length back in third under Declan McDonogh for Jessica Harrington.

Aidan O'Brien said afterwards: "He's tough and kept at it well. He likes an ease in the ground."

The winner, who holds entries in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Irish Derby, is a half-brother to Ruscello who won a Group 3 in Australia for Ed Walker.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
5/1
Tote €6.30 €1.02
2nd
2.75L
4/7Fav
€1.02
3rd
0.5L
10/1
€3.60
4th
2L
7/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.