Pat Flynn's assertion that "a win is a win" may have been uttered through gritted teeth at Fairyhouse last night after the 14 to 1 outsider Siberian Truce trotted up in the Ericsson Handicap.
The Carrick-On-Suir trainer also ran the 9 to 2 second favourite Minnie KC in the race and admitted afterwards: "I thought the other one might win, or at least run the better of the two."
Flynn didn't see the race due to getting caught in traffic and missed watching the promising young apprentice Tom Queally bring Siberian Truce with a sweeping run on the outside to put three lengths between himself and the favourite, Umpqua Eagle.
"I've always thought he was a decent horse," said Flynn and 15-year-old Queally, scoring his eighth winner since beginning his career at the start of the season, concurred.
The stewards held an inquiry into Siberian Truce's improvement in form compared to his previous run at Galway and accepted Flynn's explanation that a first-time tongue tie had helped the horse settle.
But there were no such surprises for Flynn in the amateur handicap as the remarkably consistent mare, Kate Emily, won the seventh race of her career.
"She's unbelievable. She wouldn't show you much at home but she does it on the track, where fast ground is the key. She did really well there as she had to come around the field," said Flynn.
Kevin Prendergast was another trainer on the double and he did fancy the chances of his two-year-old Saffron Dancer in the Eircom Race. The 5,713 guineas purchase didn't let him down as she led early in the straight and kept on too resolutely for the favourite, Galanta.
"She didn't cost a lot, we were claiming 5lb and the race seemed to suit her, so I was hopeful of a good run," said Prendergast.
The Curragh trainer later added with Kolleya, who landed the apprentice maiden by a length under another good apprentice Pat Cosgrave.
Kolleya, from the distinguished family of Salsalbil, Marju et al, won a Thurles bumper last winter after Prendergast forked out £5,000 for the former Alec Stewart trained horse at the Newmarket sales.
"He might get a mark now and hopefully it won't be too big. We'll go jumping later on and he's a good lepper," said Prendergast.
Dermot Weld continued his winning streak with the Declan McDonogh-ridden Ceann Amhain Eile, who had a couple of lengths to spare over Alfina in the opener.
"I thought he'd win at Galway but he ran very wide," said Weld, who confirmed that his American Derby winner, Pine Dance, will return to Chicago on Saturday week for the Grade One Secretariat Stakes, with Eddie Ahern on board.
It was a frustrating evening for Jim Bolger as in addition to Alfina and Galanta, he also saddled Aretha, who looked an unlucky loser when runner-up to Reptar in the Billpay Handicap.
The first two raced from the rear and initiated a stewards' inquiry as they bumped outside the furlong pole. Reptar got the best of it, but it was by a fast diminishing half a length that he held on by half a length.
Jimmy Fortune will appeal against the suspension he picked up at Newbury on Sunday, it was confirmed yesterday.
The jockey will face the Jockey Club's disciplinary committee tomorrow to contest the decision which has sidelined him for eight days and rules him out of the first day of the York Ebor meeting.
Fortune received two days for careless riding aboard Farfala in the Cantor Fitzgerald Gilt Edged Chalice Stakes at Newbury, triggering a six-day ban deferred from an earlier suspension.
The jockey's agent Tony Hind said: "Jimmy would never go down there unless he feels he has a strong case."
Jockey Club public relations officer John Maxse confirmed the news and was at pains to point out that no extension had been made to the appeal deadline, as had been reported earlier.
