Trainer John Oxx completed an opening race double at The Curragh this evening, when his Sceal Nua landed the Today FM Handicap under in-form Niall McCullagh.

McCullagh, partnering his 14th winner of the season, produced the daughter of Iffraaj to lead under a furlong out before staying on well to defeat Negotiate

Afterwards Oxx, a vet by profession, stated “Sceal Nua won and was placed a few times in Britain for Richard Hannon but we didn’t know too much about her as it was her first run for me.”

He then joked “I know what I’m writing away for to Santa Claus in future – I’ll ask him to send me horses with English handicap marks!”

“She did it nicely today, got the distance well and we’ll find a fillies handicap somewhere next. She is owned by Clodagh and Kevin Mitchell, from Trim, and they decided to move her to Ireland to see her run but missed today as they had a family engagement!”

The ground was changed to ‘Soft’ after the race.

Thomas Weekes