Banker Burke stretches away to win in Dundalk© Photo Healy Racing
After a four-timer at Gowran Park this afternoon, Jessica Harrington maintained her blistering form as Banker Burke ran out the ready winner of Division 1 of the mile and a half handicap at Dundalk.
Niall McCullagh guided the 7/2 favourite past Melanippe as that one hurtled towards the furlong pole. From there the pair stayed on strongly to land the first prize by two lengths.
“He won well in the end. I rode him a few runs back in Killarney and I liked him. I thought coming here today that a mile and a half on good ground would be right up his street," Niall McCullagh said.
“It was a bit of luck getting the ride as Fran (Berry) is away and Shane (Foley) is suspended. He loved the surface and he’ll be a good horse here for the winter.”
The winner was well supported in the betting ring from 9/2 having been 6/1 this morning. Melanippe, in second, was easy to back at 7/1, a length and three parts in front of 25/1 outsider Sacred Sovereign who was running for the first time since August 2012.
Banker Burke was stepping up on a runner-up berth in Tipperary in a claimer over a mile and one.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
