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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Merricourt holds on and survives enquiry

Fri 20th Sep 2019, 17:44

Merricourt and Colin Keane Merricourt and Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing

The Ger Lyons-trained Merricourt had to survive a stewards enquiry before being confirmed as the winner of the Servisource Healthcare Claiming Maiden at Dundalk.

Having been prominent early in the mile contest Colin Keane elected to track the leaders before producing the 13/8 favourite to lead a furlong-and-a-half from home.

The grey gelding drifted to his right going to the furlong pole and carried runner-up Pocotaligo with him for a few strides.

Once straightened up the son of Mizzen Mast kept on to record a three-parts-of-a-length win.

“Colin said he just idled a little bit in front but he corrected him straight away,” said Shane Lyons.

“He said the track is riding very slow, which suits this lad.

“He'll be an ideal horse for the winter around here and eventually jumping.

“We put these horses in these claimers to promote these claimers and get them gone.

"There are no issues with them on our front, we handicap them and if somebody wants a nice horse that's what they are there for. We're a big fan of the claimers.”

The runner-up Pocotaligo was claimed by Genesis Thoroughbreds, to be trained by Ado McGuinness. The third home Silk Air was claimed by Johnny Levins.

1st
13/8Fav
Tote €2.60 €1.10
2nd
0.75L
7/2
€1.60
3rd
1.5L
7/1
€2.10
4th
4.25L
3/1
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.