McCreery & McDonogh on the mark in Down Downforce got off the mark on his third start as he took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden under Declan McDonogh for Willie McCreery. Fifth of seven behind Hunt on his debut at Dundalk in April the son of Fast Company was sixth to Red Napoleon at Navan last Saturday. Sent off a 10/1 chance this evening he was settled towards rear and had just one rival behind him after halfway. He took closer order with over two furlongs to race and soon came with his challenge down the outer, hitting the front with over a furlong to go before keeping on well to score by three parts of a length. Peleponnesus (12/1 this morning and from 8's to 7's on-course) stayed on well to take second under Gary Halpin for Reggie Roberts. Street Taipan was sent off the easy to back 9/4 favourite (from 7/4) and he was a further length and a quarter back in third under Fran Berry for Michael O'Callaghan. Willie McCreery said afterwards: "He's a grand horse. He ran earlier in the year but was a bit weak. Patrick Burns (owner) took him home and gelded him. He's by a good stallion (Fast Company) and I'm delighted with him. Happy days for Patrick! "We'll find a handicap for him and he needs okay ground. He might go to Dundalk as he had the summer off." Dame Mary Peters, gold medal winner in the Pentathlon at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, presented the winning prize to McCreery. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
