Rock Etoile and Cian Horgan© Photo Healy Racing
Apprentice jockeys Cian Horgan matched his brother Hugh in riding a Killarney winner today, steering top weight Rock Etoile (5/1) to land the Celtic Steps Handicap for trainer Andy Slattery.
The son of Fastnet Rock was clear with a furlong to race but had his winning margin reduced in the closing stages before holding off runner-up Kodiac Prince by a half-length.
Slattery reported “his owner John Moloney is working on an oil rig in Qatar and his wife Liz is at home but was unable to travel. This is their first horse, he has now won three races and this win should get him in to a race at Galway which John should be home for.
“All along he couldn't run going left-handed because he was hanging but we had him done for kissing spines and I think he is coming back to himself.
“Hopefully he will continue to progress although the ground wouldn't want to be any quicker. Galway is now the aim so whether or not he'll run between now and then I'm not sure.”
Horgan's older brother Hugh was earlier successful on Joseph O'Brien's Ma Belle Artiste while Slattery added “I think myself and my brother Willie also both rode winners on the same day once.”
