Goulane Chosen and Mike O'Connor win from Turkestan © Photo Healy Racing
Topweight Goulane Chosen (10/3) won the Sligo Park Hotel Opportunity Handicap Hurdle in gritty fashion under Mike O’Connor.
There was a depleted field of six for this feature event after five horses were scratched due to the rain-softened ground and both Melly and Me (ran loose before start) and Dollar Value (refused to line up) were late withdrawals.
The 12-year-old winner tracked the front-running Mr Moondance (7/2) before being driven up to join issue with that one at the final flight.
Mr Moondance soon cried enough and it was his patiently-ridden stablemate Turkestan (3/1 fav) who threw down a late challenge but Goulane Chosen stayed on well to hold that one by a length.
It was an eighth career victory for owner/breeder Mary O’Donnell’s good servant, and three of those have come in his most recent five races this year.
Dinny Spillane, assistant to his father and winning trainer Seamus, said: “He’s a mighty horse. He’s running like a four or five-year-old at the moment.
“We were a little afraid when the rain arrived but it’s not deep out there and he got through it.
“He might get an entry for Killarney on Friday, we’ll see how he is in the morning.
“He’s an unreal horse for a small yard like us. He’s a star and it’s great for his owner/breeder Mary O’Donnell as well.”
