Pakidis records first winner under NH rules

After going close with Lord De Beaufai at Downpatrick last week Georgios Pakidis recorded his first winner under National Hunt rules as Araglen Lad ran out a comfortable winner of the Clonmel Show Sunday 5th July Handicap Chase.

The Greek native registered his first training success at Dundalk last December with Togoville who went on to win three more since.

Previously trained by Nell McKnight and James Lambe Araglen Lad was having his fourth start for Pakidis this evening.

Available at 5/1 last night the nine-year-old son of Chinook Eclipse went off a 7/1 chance under Robbie Colgan.

Prominent in the early stages he lead before the second and was never headed. He had all his rivals off the bridle before two out and stretched clear after that flight, going on to win easily by ten lengths. Dark Outsider kept on to take second at 11/2 under Alan Crowe for James Dullea while the well-backed Island Peak (10/1 last night and from 5/1 to 4/1 on-course) was a further length and a quarter back in third under Eoin O'Connell for his father Eamonn. Diamond Dame was sent off the 5/2 favourite and she fell at the last when a well-beaten fourth.

Pakidis said afterwards of his Patrick McCann owned gelding: "We have been waiting for that ground and trip, and we knew he was in very good form.

"We expected him to win. He'll keep going for the summer over two miles or two miles and two furlongs."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee