Hogan and McAuley win Dundalk's opening claimer Eighty-six rated The Liffey (16/5) registered back-to-back claimer wins today, landing Dundalk’s opening Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race for owner James McAuley, trainer Denis Hogan and 7lb-apprentice jockey Reese Holohan. By No Nay Never, The Liffey initially scored twice from three runs for champion trainer Aidan O’Brien and having resumed winning ways for today’s team on February 13, followed up with a neck success over Platino Bianco . Five-year-old The Liffey went unclaimed for €15,000 both in that earlier race and again after this victory, with trainer Hogan’s fourth-placed Sporting Hero being today’s sole claimed horse, having been bought by trainer Bill Durkan for €8,000. McAuley mentioned "The horses are flying, thank God, and Denis is doing some job with them. "The Liffey is now at a level far lower than what Aidan (O'Brien) and Joseph (O'Brien, previous trainers) work at but it doesn't bother me winning these claimers. People can look down their nose all they want, but the prize money is the same as in normal low-grade races. "We definitely have no lofty ambitions about him winning bigger races, so I can tip away and win small claimers with him. If someone takes him, he has done a good job for us.” He added “There is no reason why he won't go back on grass but off his handicap mark (86), he can't step into normal levels with the big boys again as I'm not sure his form is stacking up to doing that. "We'll keep tipping away and wherever he runs, if someone else takes him, honestly the best of luck with him.” Quotes from Michael Graham
