Trainer Kiely registers first winner Dromana Mist (17/2) credited Co Waterford-based Patrick Kiely with a first winner today, landing Wexford’s opening Wexford Racecourse Mares Maiden Hurdle under the trainer’s cousin jockey Dylan Whelan. Carrying the colours of Sara Kiely, the twice-raced four-year-old daughter of Poet’s Word raced behind the leaders and having led at the second-last, finished well to beat Lady Fromentro by 2.75 lengths. Kiely reported “she’s a lovely mare and I had the race mapped out from last week. She needed to have a run in Cork to qualify and while I know it’s the wrong thing to do running them six days later, she licked her pot on Sunday night and I freshened her up. “I’m in Stradbally, Co. Waterford so use the beach every day. She was rolling and bucking so I said I’d declare her and see. Today’s race was perfect and she qualifies for the Weatherbys bonus, so this is a fair pot. “We only have her 10 months, she’s a classy kind of a mare and when she came out of the ring unsold at the Derby Sale, we followed her down and bought her.” He added “I’d have 12 to 15 horses in the whole time, four or five pre-trainers and a couple for the track. A nice few owners have come back to me recently, I have the licence since last year and I’m only getting going. “Dylan is my cousin, he’s back from England where he rode a few winners.” Additional reporting from Gary Carson
