Family-favourite Tuckmill gives McParland a first win Amateur rider Ronan McParland bagged a fitting first racecourse winner today, landing Punchestown’s William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle (Div II) on his grandfather Tom McParland’s veteran Tuckmill (12/1). Racing behind the leaders, ten-year-old Tuckmill was produced by McParland to lead entering the home straight and maintained his gallop to score by eight lengths from Trixaboutmaisie . Delighted jockey McParland reported “you couldn’t write this as I’ve been coming here a long time as a member of Kildare Hunt Club and it has come in my family’s colours as well, and on Tuckmill who is almost part of us at this stage. I couldn’t believe it and it was great to have everyone here too. “He had run well in Navan the last day and he jumped unreal today. He travelled everywhere, we didn’t go a mad gallop and that allowed me to be up with the pace, which suited. Hopefully there might be another day in him now. “This is always what I wanted to do, so I’ll keep the head down now. I ride mostly in point-to-points, work for Colin Bowe and school for various other trainers. I had my second point-to-point winner just last Sunday so it has been a good few days.” Winning trainer Peter Fahey had earlier scored with Live To Laugh and, following his own double, said "Tom McParland is a legend of racing around here so to train a winner for him in Punchestown is brilliant. Hopefully Tuckmill will stay tipping away and Ronan will have a bit of fun on him until the ground gets too soft." Quotes from John O’Riordan
