Drakensberg bombs home at Dundalk
It's not often, if ever, that a horse owned by a Dunboyne syndicate will have previously won at Dresden in Germany.
However, for the members of the Mulvany's Bar (how did they agree on that name) Syndicate, that's what happened at Dundalk last night when they were cheering home Drakensberg and Wayne Lordan.
Members of the syndicate include Brendan Mulvany, Des McCaffrey, Anthony Lynch, Joe Reilly, Philip Reilly, Ray Mitchell, Tom Tone and Kit Toole.
“The owners are a great bunch of sporting lads from Mulvany’s pub in Dunboyne," stated trainer Tony Martin.
“The horse had a few issues and things just didn’t work out, but it worked out well tonight, hopefully
there might be another day in him," he added.
The Mulvany crew seem to like the European theme as another import (Sil Ver Klass) arrived at Tony Martin's
from France around the same time as Drakensberg but had some encouraging form on the flat at places like
Maison Laffittee and Fontainebleau.
The two new arrivals coincided with the departure of a horse that was a good servant to the Mulvany's Bar crew - Mydor - which departed via the Goff's Sales Ring in August of 2017 for around €8,000.
Drakensberg arrived in summer 2017, but didn't show too much and finished last (20th of 20) on a first outing at Leopardstown in October of that year with the aforementioned Sil Ver Klass crawling home in 15th place although it since won a hurdle at Limerick last year.
Sil Ver Klass re-appeared for the first time this year when finishing fourth at Gowran in January in a hurdle.
DAN DALY
The Meath theme was maintained at the Louth track when owner Dan Daly saw his colours carried to victory in the concluding race by Colin Keane on board Chaparral Dream for trainer Ado McGuinness.
Chaparral Dream was knocking on the door for some time and had been placed six times before eventually winning last night.
GAVIN CROMWELL
Trainer Gavin Cromwell was also on the mark when Nisior Donn was first past the post for jockey Donagh O'Connor to win by a length-and-three-quarters.
Nisior Donn went close on a couple of occasions at the track in January and was involved in a dead-heat.
Next weekend there will be an open day at the Gavin Cromwell yard on Sunday 17th February from 9.30am.