Maggie McGrath wins Dundalk's opener

There were flip-flopping favourites for Dundalk's opening Bar One Racing Sign Up Offer Maiden today with victory going to 'weak' Maggie McGrath (11/8 — 9/4), ahead of gambled market-rival Billboa (100/30 — 15/8f).

Maggie McGrath, under Oisin McSweeney, broke smartly to lead and while Billboa gave chase, never reached the all-the-way two-and-a-quarter-lengths winner.

Winning trainer Danny Murphy, with vast international experience, was recording his fourth win since relaunching his career in September and said “we’re doing well with animals that want good ground. I’ve been away for a good many years but for me they over-water too much in this country.

“We went to Down Royal with her for good to firm ground but it was yielding and there was a heatwave at the time. I said to the owners please let me run her again here in Dundalk as she chipped a knee here last year and we gave her time off.

“She did that well and all going well she’ll run again here on Wednesday in a five-furlong handicap.

“The owners are from Portarlington and they will get a great kick out of that.”

Quotes from Alan Magee