Local eighteen year old apprentice jockey Leigh Roche recorded his first Galway winner when steering Dermot Weld's top weight Easy Mate to a hard fought win in the Topaz Handicap at Galway today.
Roche, a seven pounds claiming apprentice, displayed great strength in the saddle to force Easy Mate ahead inside the final furlong for a neck win over 5/1 favourite Don Leone
Roche, from near Tuam, received a warm welcome back into the winner's enclosure before Weld stated “I decided to claim from Easy Mate, which was set to carry 10st, and Leigh suited. He works for me and has strengthened up in the saddle in the last year.”
He added “Easy Mate was almost literally knocked down in the Apprentice Derby at The Curragh the last day when she met traffic problems.”
Roche was subsequently suspended by the Stewards following an incident just past the winning post where runner-up Don Leone was tightened up & collided with the running rail.
After taking Roche’s good record in this regard into account the Stewards severely cautioned him not to allow a recurrence of this nature again & suspended him for one raceday.
