Reformed Admiral Barry wins the Carlton QR Handicap

Eoin Griffin performed miracles warming the heart of the previously disappointing gelding Admiral Barry s form to take the featured carlton.ie/galwaycity Amateur Riders Handicap at Galway today, providing 20 year old jockey Mikey Fogarty with his biggest riding success.

Fogarty gave Admiral Barry the perfect ride, staying close to the rail behind the leaders before progressing to lead early in the straight, eventually running out the length and a quarter winner over top weight Mount Helicon under James Carroll.

Griffin subsequently revealed "we always thought a lot of Admiral Barry but to be honest, he was becoming a big disappointment for us, having shown good form as a two year old."

"He never took to hurdling, seemed to hate jumping and we were beginning to run out of time with him so we decided recently to do the direct opposite with him!

"We left off the cheek-pieces and blinkers, trained him from a field, where he now lives with a mare who seems to have a completely changed his life - love is a funny thing!"

He added "Mikey (Fogarty) gave him a super ride while we may bring the horse back for a Premier Handicap here on Thursday depending on how he comes out of this race - I won't rule out going back hurdling with him some time again but not for the time-being."

Amateur jockey Fogarty, from Cleariestown, Co Wexford and based with trainer Colm Murphy, was enjoying his biggest career success, having partnered "around 30 point to point winners and this is my 19th racecourse winner."

There was a sting in the tail for Fogarty, however, who was subsequently suspended for two racedays for using his whip with excessive frequency.

Admiral Barry was broken and pre-trained by a former two-time winner of the race, former amateur rider Aidan Fitzgerald (who partnered Gamekeeper to win in 2000 and again in 2001), who is based in Borris, Co Carlow.