Super Start To 2021 For Midlands Trainers Continue

Monday, 25 January 2021 at 12:53

Photo Credit: Patrick McCann/Racing Post via HRI

Both Kieran Cotter and Tom Cleary found the winners enclosure this week.

Kieran Cotter supplied the third winning favourite of the meeting when Slade Runner took the opening division of the six-furlong handicap at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Ridden by Declan McDonogh, the Portlaoise Racing Syndicate-owned four-year-old won by half a length from the Natalia Lupini-trained Annabelle Rock at odds of 2/1.

The winner was having his second start for the trainer who commented,

"He was picked up very cheaply and my daughter Mary, who led him up here this evening, put together a syndicate with the Laois footballers and hurlers. I’m sure they are all delighted in Portlaoise. We have 18 in and we’ll keep busy over the remaining winter months. We have some new recruits to bring out for the Flat season. We only have a couple of two-year-olds but we have a few nice three-year-olds. We will have another ten stables in two weeks’ time and have put down foundations for twenty more, so we will try to fill them now.”

Meanwhile the father and son team of Tom and Rory Cleary combined for a winner at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Dark Magic did the business for the pair and the Wall To Wall Syndicate when taking the eight-furlong handicap in convincing fashion.

The seven-year-old was sent off at odds of 6/1 and scored by a length and a half from the John McConnell-trained 9/2 co-favourite Kudbegood.

The winning trainer reported,

“Dark Magic was in good form coming here so we were fairly confident. He was doing his best work late on over seven furlongs here last time so we thought the mile would suit. The plan is to come back here in a couple of weeks.”

The winner was bought out of a claiming race at Dundalk for €6,000 in November and finished second on three occasions for his new connections before Wednesday’s success.

Dundalk winner Dark Magic with Tom, Kathleen and Rory Cleary. Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post