Stronger provides McDonogh with quick double

Declan McDonogh completed a quick 26/1 double as he partnered the Bill Farrell trained Stronger Than Me to victory in the www.INBA.ie Student Betting Voucher Handicap over a mile.

The five-year-old son of Marju won on his last outing at Dundalk in October and he followed up this evening at 5/1.

Settled towards the rear he was under pressure turning for home but once switched to the outside for room, he stayed on strongly and hit the front well inside the final furlong, going on to score by a length and three parts at the line.

The Rory Cleary ridden Smoke Charger (13/2) and the 2/1 favourite Aurifodina were battling for the lead for much of the home straight but they had no answer to the winners surge and they had to settle for second and third respectively.

Bill Farrell said afterwards: “He has been working ok and I was a bit worried about the ground. Declan rode him last year at Dundalk and he said he would go on an easier surface and he knows more than I do!”

(Additional reporting by Gary Carson)