'Struggling' Donoghue gains deserved winner

Mount Corkish Girl and jockey Keith Donoghue moved on from a troublesome 2014 when gaining important first wins of the new year, in the David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Mares Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown today.

Donoghue suffered a serious leg (fractured right femur) injury in a fall last March and having missed eight months of the year through the resulting recuperation, was today recording his first winner since Christmas 2013.

Mount Corkish Girl, for her part, failed to win in six outings in 2014 and also was the subject of a running and riding enquiry in which she was initially suspended for 60 days, but reduced to 30 on appeal.

Following today's win, O'Donoghue was quick to praise the mare's trainer Gillian Callaghan stating "it's great to get a winner as I've been really struggling to get rides and struggling with my weight. It's hard to get rides the way things have gone, and the Callaghan's have been very loyal to me."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee