Smart Stinger wins under Ben Coen© Photo Healy Racing
The fourth and fifth winners of Ben Coen's career arrived at Dundalk tonight, the brace coming in at odds of 35/1. His uncle Andy Slattery supplied the former pony race star with his victor in the Happy Christmas From All At Dundalk Stadium Maiden, Smart Stinger
Coen donned the familiar silks of Pat Garvey on Smart Stinger, and an hour on from his success on Pat Murphy's No Approval the American-bred filly got home by a length and a quarter from market-leader Gougane Barra
Gougane Barra travelled well but Smart Stinger showed the better turn of pace to triumph at the seventh time of asking.
"She's a nice filly and I don't think she should be rated 60," stated Slattery.
"We could have went for a handicap but Mr Garvey said he'd like to win a maiden with her.
"We'll leave her off now. She's better than that and I think she'll improve, I'm hoping she'll improve into a nice filly in the summer.
"She did a bit of work last Saturday that was better than she's done all year and we think she's improved. Hopefully as a four-year-old we'll have something and you probably won't see her until next May.
"She's a maiden winner now and that's Mr Garvey's main aim.
"I think seven is her trip. She should have won the last night when Chris (Hayes) rode her but she got hampered after two furlongs and he said that cost her the race."
(GC & EM)
