'Absolute no-hoper' gives 56-year-old McCullagh a 50/1 winner Fifty-six-year-old Niall McCullagh bagged a 50/1 winner on an ‘absolute no-hoper’ today, landing Dundalk’s Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race on Roman Harry, for trainer Claire O’Connell. McCullagh, whose first winner was in 1986 and his latest in September’s €600,000 Irish Cesarewitch, combines race-riding with being a jockeys’ coach and today took three Dundalk rides. Wearing the colours of the Lucky Fifteen Syndicate, McCullagh kicked from the stalls on Roman Harry and while the pair met traffic early in the home straight, finished well to lead in the closing stages for a neck win over Fleetfootsoldier . Popular veteran McCullagh revealed “I thought Roman Harry was an absolute no-hoper and said to myself ‘what are you doing’, as I didn’t have to be here until the second-last race! “Fair dues to Ciaran O’Toole (agent) and also a shout out to Seamus Heffernan (jockey), who had told me that if I got him jumped out, travelling and enjoying it, that he would outrun his odds, and he was right! I couldn’t pull him up in the end and we did an extra lap. “It is a nice surprise and it is great to get it for Claire and all the team — I enjoyed that!” Trainer O’Connell added "Roman Harry has been a bit disappointing, but he has come back. I ride him out myself every day and I think a win is coming every day, so I'm ever the optimist! I'm delighted. "He needs to be kept up on the bridle all the time and he gave him a super ride. He had a chat to Seamie (Heffernan), who is Harry's main man, and he told Niall how to ride him. "My son Dara had him out the other day jumping ditches and everything, so we do different things with him to keep him sweet. Hopefully he doesn't get claimed now, but we will see what happens." O’Connell’s fears were later realised as Roman Harry, whose sole previous win came at Laytown, was claimed by John Keogh for €4,000, to be trained by Shane Duffy. Five horses were claimed with Pat McKenna buying sixth-placed Battle Borne for €5,000, while owner James McAuley claimed three horses: fourth-placed Venetian (for €10,000), seventh Comfort Line (€5,000) and eighth Independent Expert (€11,000), to be trained by Denis Hogan. Quotes from Michael Graham
