Mountain Coral and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Champion Jockey Joseph O'Brien completed a treble at Dundalk this evening when former Scurry Handicap winner Mountain Coral rolled back the years to win the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Package Handicap for trainer Frank Oakes.
Mountain Coral, who completed a four-timer culminating in the 2009 Scurry Handicap at The Curragh, came into today's race without a win in two years and two days but was helped home by O'Brien who steered the nine year old to a half length win over fast finishing and well backed 7/4 favourite Miller Beach
Afterwards Oakes, whose son-in-law and assistant Barry Cash picked up the Outstanding Achievement award at Monday's HRI Awards, stated “he's a right old lad! He wasn't right for a while but has been good enough again recently. I thought he'd win last week but he came from a good bit back.
“He is what he is now and it's hard to keep him sound; he's a bit like myself! As long as he's happy we'll keep him going though and hopefully he'll win another one.
He added “the false rails are a big improvement. You've a better chance of getting a run when before they were murdering each other. Mountain Coral got inured here twice and was out for two months on each occasion.”
O'Brien, who retained his Jockeys' Champion last month, was earlier successful on Antiquus and Deep Speed
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
