Niall Madden and his 16-year-old amateur son and namesake continued their recent successful run when Sheer Martina easily landed the odds at Sligo this afternoon. The only anxious moment for punters came when the mare blundered at the final flight, but she quickly recovered to beat Maria Pia by 25 lengths.
Dr Knock, trained locally at Strandhill by Michael McElhone, had a little luck on his side in the featured handicap. Seamus Heffernan's mount held off Astronomer by one a a half lengths, but Colm O'Donoghue was unable to give the runner-up full assistance inside the final furlong after his saddle slipped.
Chance It Again (Davy Condon) handled the testing ground well in the two-year-old claiming race, heading the front-running Youngblood inside the final furlong to beat Platium Starlight. The heavy grounnd also proved no problem to Little Ora in the handicap hurdle, skipping clear in the straight under Charlie Swan to beat Rocamadoura by ten lengths. Trainer Philip Rothwell later completed a double in the bumper with Fairwood Present, a third winner for amateur David Porter.
Filed by Laura Reynolds
