Former Champion completes Gowran treble

Former Champion Jockey Declan McDonogh completed a treble at Gowran today when steering his first winner for jumps trainer Paul Nolan, winning on Usain in the concluding Cat Laughs Goes Racing June 6th Handicap (Div 2).

Usain, a German bred son of Areion, had previously been the subject of a sizeable gamble (7/1 in the morning in to 13/8 favourite) at Dundalk in December, but was unplaced.

The gelding then appears to have gradually lost friends, next failing to win at odds of 9/2, then 9/1 before finally shedding his maiden tag today, at a 'not a shilling on it' 12/1.

Afterwards McDonogh stated “he's very tough and really sticks his neck out and that's my first winner for Paul (Nolan).

"Winners aren't easy to come by but it's been a great day, and I'm delighted to ride a treble. It's really a front-runners track, although I've won from the front and behind this evening.”

McDonogh was earlier been successful on a pair of Charles O'Brien trained winners (Great Wide Open and Zorba The Greek .

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee