Caerleon Kate© Photo Healy Racing
Denis O'Regan received strong praise from winning trainer Colin McBratney following the jockey's success on his Caerleon Kate in the MB McGrady & Co, Accountants Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick today.
O'Regan adopted a familiar waiting tactic on the daughter of Medicean and in the end produced the six year old mare with perfect timing to lead, on the inner, close home and score a half length win over Holy Motivation
McBratney said "she was a big price (12/1) as she loves it around here. The last day in Navan she ran no race and Denis (O'Regan) said 'slower ground' for her, and bring her back here.
"He gave her a great ride. He knew she would do is stay up the hill, which she did and it was a fantastic ride. He's a top-class rider and the best hold-up jockey in the country. He gets plenty of criticism for leaving them too much to do but he knows where the winning post is, if the horse is good enough.
"The filly deserves it, she's had 29 runs and was very unlucky in being touched off here a couple of times by fair decent horses.
"I honestly thought in my own heart that today off 95 she wouldn't be good enough to win - I actually thought she wouldn't beat (stablemate) Shipwreck giving her 10lb, on homework but she proved me wrong."
Northern Irish television presenter Pamela Ballantine is part of the winning Templeburn Racing Syndicate.
Quotes from Michael Graham
