Parkes off the mark on Noimead

He may be from the family of Jim Bolger's Phoenix Stakes heroine, Eva Luna, but as Noimead Draiochta showed on Sunday at Cork, he wants further than sprinting distances. The chestnut son of Captain Rio will forever more hold a special place in the affections of young David Parkes as the three-year-old supplied the 10Ib claimer with a first success in the plate when landing the Slane Handicap at Navan.

Just three days after that aforementioned Cork effort (a strong finishing third there behind Inishmot Duchess) Noimead Draiochta showed up here in good shape and Parkes sporting the silks of Bolger's daughter Fiona (also breeder of the gelding), got his mount through a gap to lead inside the final furlong, going on to beat Extra Steps by a length and three parts.

David Parkes is a native of County Antrim and the nineteen-year-old has been working for Jim Bolger for a year and a half.