Retired trainer Liam McAteer and his family played a prominent role in the success of the Paddy Hassett trained Happy Company in the Darcy Contract Cleaning Handicap at Sligo this evening, as the gelding completed a double on the day for Champion Jockey Colin Keane.

The winner carries the colours of Parkview Bloodstock Syndicate and afterwards McAteer, part of the winning club, said “it was pilot error the last day but he (Keane) was very quick to admit it and you can’t beat a top class jockey. He was brilliant on him today, and said he’d drop him out and ride him to get home.

“We’ll head for Galway now and my favourite track is Bellewstown so we might go there as well. We’ll see what the trainer has to say. Paddy’s son Garrett, who is married to my daughter Pamela, does this horse at home himself.

“I bought him as a foal and couldn’t sell him as a yearling and couldn’t get a bid in the breeze up sale even though he went up in a fast time. He’s a great fun horse and very genuine which is a big plus.”

Keane, successful earlier on Sirjack Thomas added “he was very unlucky in Roscommon. I got locked up down the rail and he deserved that. It was the complete opposite today as I gave the outside to no one and he won well.

Quotes from Alan Magee