Good win for McCourt and Keane

The consistent My Good Brother gained a deserved big race win as he took the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Bold Lad’ Sprint Handicap for Tom McCourt and Colin Keane.

The four-year-old son of Elusive City won a handicap at Dundalk in July and he since finished third, second and second on his next three starts.

Having opened at 9/1 overnight with Paddy Power, he was available at just 8s this morning before going from 13/2 to 6/1 on-course.

Drawn in stall thirteen, the Oliver Curtis owned gelding was always close up on the stand’s side rail, and he was in front a furlong from home, keeping on well in the closing stages to score by a length at the line. Nero Emperor (5/1 to 4/1 on-course), kept on well close home but he couldn’t peg back the winner and he had to make do with second under Billy Lee for Tommy Stack. Yulong Baoju who beat the winner at Dundalk last weekend, was sent off the 5/2 favourite for Eddie Lynam and Johnny Murtagh, but she could only finish a disappointing sixth.

McCourt said afterwards: "I told Colin to make as much use of him as he could. He is best when he doesn’t have something in front of him as he tends to lug in behind horses and it is a job getting him out.

"He is tough and he is going the right way. The plan is to come back here for the Joe McGrath Handicap in a few weeks time.

"That is as slow as he would want it."

McCourt also saddled the third home, Kiss The Stars under Connor King at 12/1, and he said of her: "She ran a fine race and she may go for the Joe McGrath Handicap as well.

"The ground didn’t do her any harm and she stays six furlongs."

Connor King weighed-in two pounds overweight after the race, and he was subsequently given a one day ban by the Stewards while he has been referred on the Turf Club Medical Officer for a review of his minimum riding weight.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee