Sporting Hero scores on yard debut Recently-claimed Sporting Hero (12/1) scored on his first start for new connections today, landing Dundalk’s Winter Series Awards Day Handicap for the Durkan family and jockey Chris Hayes. Claimed for €8,000 following a course fourth-placing last month, the six-year-old was quickest from stalls in a somewhat ragged start to the race and while he raced keenly in front, took advantage of that quick beginning when holding off from faster-finishing Inishfallen by three-parts of a length. Winning trainer Bill Durkan’s assistant Gary Bannon said "I asked Neil (Durkan, owner) for a horse to lead the two-year-olds this year, as we had been using all our nicer middle-distance horses, so we picked this horse from a claimer. We just changed the headgear today and it is great to get a win out of him. "The plan had been to take a lead and slot in and afterwards he (Hayes) said he just about got home and would be better at five. “We'll keep tipping away and he'll continue to lead the two-year-olds and to help our apprentice Jamie (Orr). We have six or seven two-year-olds at the moment and whether they will all run this year, I'm not sure, but we've a couple of smart ones. "This horse has never won on the turf, so maybe that will be something we will try and do and that's our 15th or 16th winner since May, between jumps and Flat, so things are going well." Quotes from Michael Graham
