Happy connections after Colla Pier's win© Photo Healy Racing
Colla Pier has been a great servant for David Peter Dunne in his black and blue silks and she gave him a first win in the training ranks in Ireland tonight when just getting the nod in the Marshes Shopping Centre Ladies Day 12th July 2017 Handicap at Dundalk.
Paddy Mooney trained the daughter of Hawk Wing to win three races before Dunne himself sent her out to score in a Plumpton handicap hurdle under his brother Robbie last September.
Robbie finished fifth in the ultimate staying test, the Grand National at Liverpool last month, aboard Gas Line Boy, and here in this night-cap on the polytrack it took a bit of getting too with the trip being two miles.
Billy Lee was at his patient best aboard the 10/1 victor (from 14s) as he held her up towards the rear.
The eight-year-old travelled well and made progress inside the final quarter mile.
She was switched right and went seventh a furlong out, and she kept on well inside the final furlong to get up close home to touch off Rubenesque by a head.
The Stewards fined Denis Gerard Hogan, trainer, €350 for lodging a passport in respect of Meadow Cross in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91. The Stewards allowed the horse to run on receipt of the trainer's written assurance that the vaccinations were in order.
(GC & EM)
