Dermot Weld rarely misses a trick and while he may have had Galway ‘on the brain’ in the past few months, his masterful race-planning also took in Sligo this evening when his Teach Nua defied a fixed 5lbs penalty for a Galway win in the Sligo Park Handicap.

Ridden by promising apprentice Leigh Roche, the son of Val Royal led a furlong out, was soon clear before being eased close home for a cheeky half length win over Swampfire

Weld was not present but Roche did subsequently report “I kept him handy as we knew he’d stay (won over 1m4f in Galway). They went a good gallop which helped and everything worked out well.”

Thomas Weekes