McCann pays tribute to Tommie Jakes after Little Empire's win Little Empire finished off to winning effect for Patrick McGettigan in the Bar One Lotto Rated Race over seven furlongs in Dundalk. The 5/1 chance tracked the leaders throughout and was produced by McGettigan to challenge inside the final furlong. He grabbed the lead in the final 100 yards and hit the line three-quarters of a length in front of Ribble Emperor (8/1). Daler, the 6/4 favourite, was a short head away in third. Anthony McCann said: "Absolutely delighted with him. "We had two bad days in York this year and the owner stuck by him. I knew we had a good horse on our hands. "He's entered here for six furlongs on Wednesday and he probably will go for it. The penalty will bring him well into the handicap. "It was (a competitive race) and I've to thank Luke McAteer who told me the last time to put Patrick on him to claim the 7lb off, and that that would be massive (for him). He'll probably get on him again on Wednesday. "No, absolutely not (winning out of turn) - his form has been pretty solid. Probably my own fault for running him over the mile, I thought he would stay that being a Holy Roman Emperor, but he just showed there tonight that he has bundles of speed. "We have to take our hats off to the young lad who rode him, Tommie Jakes, who was buried today. Tommie rode a double for me that night in April of last year (at Wolverhampton). "We'd like to dedicate this win to young Tommie." Little Empire won in the colours of Alan Lowry.
