Meitheal wins on Gleeson's first ride with 3lb claim

Having recently ridden his 50th winner, jockey John Gleeson made his first ride with a 3lb claim a winning one when Meitheal landed the concluding Racing Again November 3rd (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race at Cork.

Sent off 2/7f, the John and Thomas Kiely trained mare led early, before surrendering the lead to Faceman with well over three-quarters-of-a-mile to race.

The latter came under pressure early in the straight as both Meitheal and King Conor loomed up to throw down their challenges.

However, the Gleeson partnered mare who was traveling noticeably the better of that pair, went on over a furlong out.

Quickening inside the final furlong, the eventual winner kept on strongly to score by one-and-a-half lengths.

John Kiely said: "She had to battle and she did. We might now wait for the Listed bumper in Navan as she has a good pedigree: she will jump in her own time."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.