Dalton gets welcome winner at local track Irish Grand National winning rider Ben Dalton ended a lean spell when his mount Up Sluggarh (14/1) took the Taghmon Handicap Chase at his ease at Wexford. On his first start in a handicap chase, off a break since last July, the Ad Valorem chestnut was produced in really good shape by his trainer, Davy Fitzgerald, and he landed the two mile three furlong event by no less than eleven lengths. After jumping the second last well, Up Sluggarh was soon gone beyond recall, and try as the runner-up Snooze might, it was soon just a question of the winner clearing the last safely which he managed nicely. Fitzgerald also supplied the third home in Playtime Ben. "Davy fancied him, he said he would run well. He said he is better fresh, it was his first run in a handicap and he has done it well," explained Dalton. "I'm based with Aidan O'Brien now and I want to thank Aidan for letting me ride him." (DM & EM)
