Arguidos gets Stokes off the mark

Arguidos not ignored in morning trading gave Tom Doyle his first winner since August (he picked up an injury at Listowel) and trainer Nicky Stokes his first winner on the racecourse proper when landing the Jimmy Crowley Live After Racing October 31st Handicap Hurdle at Cork.

The winning son of Winged Love, owned by Stokes' mother Diana, got up in the final strides to beat Sox's Girl by a head.

Nicky commented: "We're mainly a point-to-point yard and we just got left with this fellow after we bought him as a three-year-old. My wife rides him out every day and we're based in Fethard (Tipperary). I have a licence for two or three years.

"We'll see about Thurles on Thursday where he is in over two miles six with a 4Ib penalty."

Rossi Novae is a horse that many will remember, and he was trained by Stokes' late father Paddy in years gone by.