Donal Murphy
Coakley doubles-up on Park Row for his father
Park Row is ridden out by Ross Coakley to hold off Black Label
© Photo Healy Racing
After winning the sixth on Baba Boom Ross Coakley quickly doubled-up on Park Row for his father Denis in the concluding Free Ice-Cream For Children Today Handicap.
A three time winner for Johnny Feane, the son of Where Or When made his debut for Coakley at Leopardstown last month, finishing third in the race won by Bronagh’s Belle.
Sent off at 3/1 today, the eight-year-old chestnut raced in second before improving to lead over two furlongs out.
He was soon ridden and went a few lengths clear over a furlong from home, keeping on well in the closing stages to hold off the late surge of Black Label by half a length.
The runner-up was returned at 10/1 under Colin Keane for Adrian McGuinness, while the 2/1 favourite High Kicker was another length and a quarter back in third.
The winning handler said afterwards: "I'm very grateful to John Feane who sold him to us. He had to make room for some extra horses coming in and he knew that I was looking out for another horse. He said this fellow would suit my set-up where he'd get fussed over.
"He's owned by my father Pat and by Joey Costello, who is a life-long friend and has just been elected onto the committee at Galway. That’s where he’ll probably go next on the Thursday.
"There is three generations, Ross, myself and Pat involved so it's great.
"Joey's father was my father's best friend and his grandfather was a chairperson at Galway Races in the past. Those colours are based on his grandfather's colours from back in the 1950's."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee