Finegan gets professional career off to a bright start Eoghan Finegan partnered his first winner since recently turning professional, and his seventh in total, as Small Bucks caused a 33/1 shock in the Mallow Handicap Hurdle at Cork racecourse. The near 6ft rider was seen to great effect here producing the filly, owned and trained in County Down by Pat Collins, with a perfectly timed challenge to lead at the last. The daughter of The Gurkha kept on strongly to beat Vale Of Glory by a length and a half, with Prince Of Air a further four lengths back in third. Collins said, “She was running her race in Downpatrick the last day but took her mind off the job coming down the hill. The key is to get her to settle and Eoghan gave her a fine ride. “Paddy O’Brien normally rides her but he’s in Kilbeggan this evening. He’s done all the work and rides her at home.”
