Stephen Hero, left, beats Las Encinas at Sligo© Photo Healy Racing
Stephen Hero gave Co Tyrone trainer Andrew Oliver a quick-fire double at Sligo when he scored in the apprentice handicap with Conor Hoban up.
“I’m delighted. He won earlier in the year on good to firm. We were always waiting on a bit of ease and we had to be patient,” Andrew Oliver said.
“He won well and he got a nice ride from Conor. He’s a full brother to a good filly I had a few years ago called Flowers Of Spring [won a Group 3 in Gowran Park in September 2011].
“Although he’s in a bracket to her, he’s not dissimilar in his attitude and the way they do things. I’m pleased for the owners (Peter Jones). They’ve been great supporters."
Once Stephen Hero got on top coming into the straight in this mile and two contest he forged on and held the staying-on Las Encinas by a length and three quarters. The pair finished well ahead of Rose Angel who was another four and a half lengths adrift.
Ross Coakley was a pound overweight on Fiftyshadesofred - by order of the stewards as his minimum riding weight under the new rules is 8-3 - who finished sixth while well-backed 11/8 favourite Idlewild emptied quickly before the straight and was tailed-off last. He was found to be clinically abnormal when examined after the race. Long Dog (12/1) and Stephen Hero (6/1) gave Oliver a 90/1 double on the evening.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
