Mickey Cleary with his son Michael junior and Stoichkhov© Photo Healy Racing
Former jockey Mickey Cleary had a winner before in the training ranks courtesy of Couleur De La Loi's promotion on a technicality. However he saw one of his horses cross the line in front for the first time when Stoichkhov scored in division two of the Follow Dundalk On Facebook Handicap under Luke Dempsey.
Breaking his maiden at the fifteenth attempt, the winning son of Ivan Denisovich got a good run down the inner and he eventually saw off Pivotal Rock by three parts of a length.
'Money horses' here from early in the day were Lord Kenmare Maundy Money and Beart but they had to settle for seventh, fourth and sixth places respectively.
Eamon Purcell owns Stoichkhov and he said: "We didn't know what to expect tonight. He missed the break last time but before that he was second.
"We said to Luke to get him out and keep him in it as he'd come home.
"He had a nice light weight with the claim coming off." (MG & EM)
