Ballymagreehan another winner for Marnane and Rooney Having landed two big pots with Slieve Binnian in recent weeks, trainer David Marnane and owner Paul Rooney enjoyed success at a somewhat lower level when Ballymagreehan recorded the first win of his career in Division ll of the Quinnbet Handicap at Dundalk. Settled in mid division by Robbie Colgan, the three-year-old travelled strongly into the race, coming through to dispute early in the straight. Strongly pressed by three-time course winner Morning Approach over a furlong out, the lightly raced gelding found plenty for pressure. Nothing separated the pair as they flashed by the line in unison. It took a photo to determine the outcome, after which Ballymagrehan was called the winner by a short head. Robbie Colgan said: "Yeah, it was very good (battling performance). David thought he might like the surface and it was riding a little bit slower today with the heat. "He jumped well and he got forward, and he has a big galloping stride which probably suited him today. He just kept lengthening and lengthening away, so hopefully there might be more to come from him. "He is a fine, big horse and I think he will mature into a grand horse." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
