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Ten up at Dundalk for McCourt's Prince

Inishmot Prince and James Ryan (green sleeves)Inishmot Prince and James Ryan (green sleeves)
© Healy Racing Photos

Inishmot Prince (7/1) has been a wonderfully durable performer for trainer Tom McCourt and owner/breeder Oliver Curtis and the hardy eight-year-old registered his tenth victory at Dundalk when taking the six-furlong handicap.

James Ryan, who has been on board for all those wins as well as the Elzaam's gelding sole win on the turf at Navan in 2024, was hard at work turning for home as Inishmot Prince gave chase to the pace-setting Plushy

The latter made a bold bid to hold on but was collared inside the final 100 yards as Inishmot Prince finished strongly to beat Mehman by a length and a quarter with Plushy relegated to third close home. 

James Ryan said: "He always felt like he was threatening to do that.

"I didn't think we went overly mad early doors and I just carefully kept the revs up on him coming around the bend.

"In fairness, once he got to the front he just started pricking his ears and it probably helped that Chris (Hayes, Plushy) came across me just for something to battle with.

"Feels like a while back (since riding Inishmot Prince as a 10lb claimer), he has been unbelievable and runs his race every day.

"It is great to get another one on him."

Tom McCourt added: "He's a right oul horse, he's a lovely horse to train and very simple to do things with.

"He had never worked like a sprinter - like he is in a race, he is always behind the bridle.

"He was coming down to a great mark and I thought he would take a lot of beating today.

"I was a bit disappointed the last day, he doesn't like getting boxed up in behind horses.

"James gets on serious well with him. Once he got to the furlong pole upsides, he does his best work coming home.

"He does have a little issue with his hind heels, which keeps flaring up on us, but when he gets into that kind of form he is very effective up here.

"Hopefully the handicapper won't be too hard on him and we get another one out of him in the winter."

 

Additional reporting by Michael Graham

1st
7/1
Tote €8.70 €2.30
2nd
1.25L
4/1
€1.50
3rd
0.5L
15/2
€2.40
4th
0.5L
14/1
bf
nk
5/2Fav
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.