Bruce Lightening gets off the mark for Martin and Kearney

Front-runner Bruce Lightening (7/1) registered a first success today, landing Dundalk's

View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap, despite being narrowly headed in the closing stages.

Ridden by Jack Kearney, the son of Lightening Spear was marginally headed by Mary Shoelaces with a furlong to race but battled gamely to soon regain the lead, scoring by a head from that rival.

Afterwards winning trainer Pat Martin said “we think six furlongs is a bit sharp for him, so Jack had to get the fractions right. They looked to go plenty quick and we were a sitting duck - I'd say he was passed but then stayed on.

"He's not easy, he's all go and my son does a great job with him at home. Most guys wouldn't want to be riding him out. He's solid though, his first run (at Cork in May) was a cracking run and he is a good, honest horse.

"He grew an awful lot - we were just saying he is 16.1hh now and this time last year he wasn't 15hh. I'd say there was a growing spurt in the middle of last year which probably didn't help.

"We didn't know if he would like this surface when we brought him here first and he loved it. He loves soft ground and he'll certainly be running early on the turf when it is soft. Six furlongs on the turf will suit. He'll be fit and ready and has a great attitude."

Quotes from Michael Graham