Red Avenger & Rory Cleary (nearest) beats Kailee (green cap)© Photo Healy Racing
Red Avenger had to survive a stewards enquiry before being confirmed as trainer Damian English's first winner at the Curragh.
It proved a messy race for the Westgrove Hotel Handicap with several incidents between runners in the seven-furlong contest.
Red Avenger himself drifted right in the closing stages, under Rory Cleary, and caused slight interference to Ice Cold In Alex who in turn slightly hampered Kailee
The later stayed on well in the closing stages and was only denied by a short-head at the line by 11/1 shot Red Avenger.
“I'm absolutely delighted. It's great to get my first Curragh winner and on Derby weekend it makes it a bit more special,” said English.
“I'm delighted for Cathal (McGuckin). He's with us the last year-and-a-half and he's been a big supporter of mine.
“Myself and my father own half of him and Cathal rang me during the week and said was there any chance of switching him into his colours for the Curragh. We got all the paper-work done of Friday.
“He's been unlucky, I don't think he's been ungenuine. He got stuck four or five wide in Limerick the last day. The time before he got a little injury and he was very unlucky in Leopardstown where he was a fast finishing third.
“On ground like this we'll keep him going. He's in at Bellewstown on Wednesday so myself and Rory have a bit of a decision to make now because we have Dance Alone, him and Geological in it.
“If he doesn't go there he'll be out again quick enough as long as the ground stays quick.
“Hopefully we can get him on a bit of a run now. He's the type of horse that's handicapped to win two or three so fingers crossed he does.
“We're absolutely delighted and it's smiles all round.”
