Banner boost for Condon's connections Drombeg Banner registered a second win over Cork's five furlongs sprint track today, landing the Book Tickets At CorkRacecourse.ie Handicap for trainer Ken Condon, jockey Bill Lee and providing a boost to winning owner/breeder Phil McAuliffe. The son of Starspangledbanner won his maiden over course and distance on soft ground last August and while unplaced at Group 3 level subsequently, reappeared under jockey Bill Lee on handicap debut, rated 83, and scored by a length from Red Lacewing. Trainer Condon reported “it is lovely to see Phil (McAuliffe) and all his family here - that meant a lot as he has been poorly of late and will be delighted with this. “He is home-bred by Phil and winters at home with Cian, his son, so there’s a great family connection. It’s an important day and I’d say there will be mighty celebrations tonight.” He added “ the horse won his maiden last year on easy ground, and all the family like soft, so I was delighted to see a little bit of rain overnight. Bill (Lee) said to me, after riding in the first and second, that it was safe ground, but this fella would relish even slower conditions. “This race, if you look back on it, every year it seems to work out and he's a horse we think a bit of. Bill said that if anything had come to him, he would found again and was pleased with him." "We ran him in a Group 3 last year and has the makings of a nice sprinter. We’ll look for something similar next, or a conditions' race, in the weeks ahead.”
