Mulholland & Dowdall combine with Partisan

Polish Partisan sprang a 25/1 (50/1 this morning with Paddy Powers) surprise in the last at Sligo, the Follow Sligo Races on Twitter bumper, for his trainer Tony Mulholland with Linzi Dowdall in the saddle.

The winning 5yo son of Pilsudski had two runs to his name before today finishing a well beaten tenth in a Down Royal bumper behind Monksland last November while he pulled up last time out in a maiden hurdle at Tipperary last month in the race won by Whispering Hills.

Both those runs came on soft ground and on good ground for the first time today he hit the front over two furlong out and kept on strongly in the straight when ridden to score by eight lengths at the line.

14/1 shot Kingclip finished second under Derek O’Connor for Charlie Swan while George Fernbeck was a further five lengths back in third at 100/30 under James Carroll.

The 9/4 joint favourites Mr Carson (for Willie and Patrick Mullins) and Take Out The Pin (for Gordon Elliott and Nina Carberry) could only manage fifth and eleventh respectively.

Winning trainer Tony Mulholland, who trains in Cootehill, Co Cavan, said afterwards: "That's my first winner in Ireland and it's my second season training here. I used to train in the UK in Thirsk and I had a couple of winners at York.

"I have fifteen horses in training at the moment and I've had a few places but no winners.

"He did it well and he is a nice big horse. I was going to run him at Kilbeggan (on Friday) but there is rain forecast. The plan was to run him in a bumper and then give him a holiday but he might run in a winners bumper now and Galway is a possibility."

The win was an early wedding present for Linzi Dowdall, who is best known for her successful partnership with Shu Lewis, as she is to marry fellow amateur rider Johnny Sullivan next Saturday.

(On-course reporting by Thomas Weekes)