Scorpion Black provides McCormack with a welcome winner

Five pound claimer Derek McCormack returned to the number one spot for the first time since November 2015 when successful on Scorpion Black in the Join Gowran Park Racing Club Handicap (division one).

McCormack rode well-bred course winner Scorpion Black for Dermot Weld.

The four-year-old, under top-weight for this assignment, came home well after Conversant (4th) and Villa Maria (5th) ultimately set it up for the ‘closers,’ after they had duelled it out some distance from home.

Scorpion Black (11/1) beat Summer’s Dream and Adapt To Dan (trained like Conversant by Denis Hogan) by a neck and the same.

A gamble on Thefaithfulindian came unstuck as she could only manage 12th.

“He likes it here and always seems to run well here. He won here earlier in the season and always seems to run with credit,” said Weld's son Kris.

“Thankfully he's kept it up even at this late stage of the season. The ground was as soft as he'd like but he managed to get through it.

“There is no more racing here now so I suppose we might leave it at that for the year.

“He's an honourable servant and seldom runs a bad race. He did it well and got a good ride from Derek.”

James J. Doyle, rider of Conversant, trained by Denis Gerard Hogan, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount ran too keen.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Thefaithfulindian, trained by Aidan Anthony Howard, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

The Stewards interviewed D.A. McCormack, rider of Scorpion Black, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards found D. A. McCormack in breach of Regulation 10.3 (g), frequency, and having considered D. A. McCormack's record in this regard the stewards suspended D. A. McCormack for two racedays.

(GC & EM)