O'Sullivan rides first winner on Griffin's Great Island

Waterford native Ethan O'Sullivan partnered his first winner when Great Island came home well clear of his rivals in the Joe Bollard Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

The Ocavango gelding, tackling handicap company for the first time, got into contention three out and headed Falcon Park over the next before going right away on the stamina-sapping ground to beat that rival by 16 lengths.

Eoin Griffin, who trains the winner for his wife Martina, said: “He must be one of the unluckiest horses in training. Around this time last year he was up at Downpatrick and got involved in a melee at the first, there was about eight horses brought down and he was one of them. 

“He ended up with six fractured ribs and he was off for a while with that, then he got a little jarred up on his first run back in Tramore so he was off for the summer.

“I'm delighted as he's a home-bred horse and my Dad bred him. Coming here I really wasn't sure how he'd handle the ground but he certainly handled it well so he'll be kept going for the winter. 

“It's young Ethan's first winner, he's a local lad from Waterford and he comes into me every Sunday. 

“He's a hard-working lad and I hope it's the first of many. He has a very good work ethic and he's a very nice lad to boot.

“Hopefully he'll keep his feet on the ground and go the right way. Robert Widger is trying to point him in the right direction so he's getting plenty of good advice. “

"He's rides very well and hopefully he'll get a few rides now, we'll be supporting him anyway. I'm sure he'll remember today.” 

Quotes from Gary Carson