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John O'Riordan

John O'Riordan

Five at Dundalk for McGuinness's Skontonovski

Tue 15th Aug 2023, 16:37

Skontonovski and Ronan Whelan win for trainer Ado McGuinness at Dundalk. Skontonovski and Ronan Whelan win for trainer Ado McGuinness at Dundalk.
© Photo Healy Racing

Skontonovski made it five wins in all at the County Louth track when easily taking Division ll of the Bar One Racing Guaranteed Multiples All Shops Handicap at Dundalk.

Similar to the winner of the first division, the Ado McGuinness trained six-year-old appreciated the return to his favoured surface, stepping up on anything he had shown in recent starts.

Towards early early on from a wide draw, Ronan Whelan gradually improved his position in the first furlong or so, such that he was just off the leading in fourth turning into the straight.

Moving up travelling easily over a furlong out, the gelding led inside the last and kept on strongly to win by a length-and-a-quarter.

Ado McGuinness said: "He has been running solid away there all year and he wanted a bit of good ground, and we hadn't been getting it the last six weeks.

"Ronan was class on him there today, he was drawn 13. The pace is not breaking down today, they are being there all the way. The top three were there all the way.

"Yeah he will (get a good stint over the winter series in Dundalk), we will try and win with him again. When you have a horse like him, the handicapper stops him for a while and then you have to wait, but he is a sure-fire winner every year."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham.

1st
5/1Cfav
Tote €6.00 €2.00
2nd
1.25L
5/1Cfav
€2.10
3rd
0.75L
9/1
€3.40
bf
2.25L
5/1Cfav
About John O'Riordan
John has worked for the Press Association since 2022. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Field and is a regular contributor to the Irish Racing Yearbook. He has previously written for the Racing Post, Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mirror. He has been involved in racing for over three decades; having experience as a syndicate member, sole owner and breeder.