Sligo a last flight faller when leading at Wexford last time, made amends by taking the opening three miles Jog For Jockeys August 21st Maiden Hurdle at Cork in the hands of John Cullen.
The former Ballydoyle inmate led early in the straight, and the 10/1 chance asserted at the last before holding the late surge of Trabajo (4/1) by three quarters of a length. Miracle House (8/1) was a further length and a half back in third.
Winning trainer Vinny Keane said: “He was fierce unlucky at Wexford, and the winner Cootamundra has run well since at Roscommon. I thought he'd go well as long as the ground wasn't too soft. He'll probably go down the novice route now.”
The six-year-old is owned by the O'Mahony family from Portlaw, Co Waterford under the title of the Return Of Leaders Syndicate.
Keane, who has currently seven in training, added: “I'm told he was Duke Of Marmalade's lead horse with Aidan O'Brien and, if he was good enough to do that, he was good enough to lead a few point-to-pointers for me!”
Alan Magee
