O'Keeffe produces 'ride of the season' contender on Midnight Eagle Darragh O'Keeffe showed tremendous horsemanship to firstly keep the partnership intact with Midnight Eagle and secondly to galvanise the six-year-old mare to victory in the Francie 'Banger' Burns Handicap Hurdle at Sligo. The mare appeared to get unbalanced on the approach to the last, due to a slipped saddle, and O'Keeffe kicked his irons out and drove her home along the run-in while also also trying to ensure the lead bag stayed in place. He had a willing partner and she stayed on to get up close home by half a length at 4/1 over Harpy Eagle (10/3f). In The Minus was a length further back in third at 7/1. Andrew McNamara said: "It was all going smoothly until after two out! "Darragh said he felt the saddle give a wobble before two out, and then when he went for her, it started to slip, so he kicked his feet out as he felt that was his best chance. "She's a very narrow, light filly, and Darragh was doing light as well, so she had a small saddle, but at least that meant the breastplate stuck to her good and tight. "She's been creeping up the handicap. Even the day we claimed her, she ran too well and got 7lb, and she got another 4lb for finishing second in Killarney. Things will be getting harder for her after this, but she's very game and if we can keep the saddle straight on her, she might win another!" Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
