Welcome winner for McNamara

Emmet McNamara enjoyed a welcome change of fortune when partnering Cin Cin to victory in the Slaney Handicap at Wexford.

Opportunities have dried up a bit for the Limerick-born rider this term with Colin Keane landing the number one role with Ger Lyons, and this was just his second success of the season.

The Andrew Heffernan-trained 6/1 chance responded gamely to pressure leading about 150 yards out and holding the fast-finishing Blue Ridge Lane by half a length.

The runner-up can be considered a bit unlucky as, not for the first time, he lost plenty of ground at the start. The front-running Flowing Air was a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Heffernan said, “We were hopeful but she hadn't been running well the last two or three times. We put on the cheek-pieces today and maybe they made the difference. I've five in at the moment and we get a few winners a year. We will keep tipping away with her.

“She won't go to Galway. We took her there last year and she didn't act on it at all and we were very disappointed. She might go back to Tramore as she won there last year."

(Additional reporting by Donal Murphy)