Dragon Of Malta, black cap far side, shades a head-bobbing finish© Photo Healy Racing
Listowel's decision to invite triple champion jockey Oisin Murphy to ride at the track for the first time reaped dividends when he won a thriller on 10/3 favourite Dragon Of Malta
The Kerryman was back in his home county and after taking the runner-up berth in the previous race went one better by the minimum margin of a nose in this extended seven furlong handicap.
Again, he got a run through on the inner and rode his mount into contention inside the final furlong, but an absolute wall of horses were gunning for victory.
Murphy held a very slight advantage in the closing stages and his mount was all out to just shade it from Mercurial (9/1). Brave Troop came home well between horses to be another nose away in third at 4/1.
The jockey, who had previously ridden at just the Curragh, Leopardstown and Dundalk in Ireland, said "I have lots of family here today and they'll be over the moon. The horse is also trained by an old family friend of ours so it is a brilliant day.
"He had won well at Galway and, while he didn't run so well at Roscommon, today he was perfect and I had a willing partner up the straight.
"I had previously ridden Free Solo at the Curragh, he led me and I found a nice run in the straight. I wasn't sure if we had won and Daniel King (denied in a close third on Brave Troop) has a valuable claim and I wasn't sure if he got up on the line.
"The O'Donnell family are from Co Limerick and not too far from here and I've known them for years, so it is great to ride a winner for them.
"Thank you to Pat Healy (Listowel committee) and Mark Enright (retired jockey) for organising this and it is great to be here. I spent lots of time as a child hanging around the weigh room wanting to be a jockey and to ride a winner here is a big relief.
"My mother (from nearby Killarney) is very excited and I'm sure she enjoyed this one!"
O'Donnell, by phone, added: "Unfortunately I have other business commitments today and am at the Sales, but this is brilliant.
"The horse had good form and Mark (Enright, retired jockey) contacted me to say Oisin was available, so it was a no brainer to use him. I said to my wife that he was beaten turning in, but these good riders just find a way to win and he was fantastic.
"Oisin and my son Patrick go back a long way from when they went pony racing together, are friends and were also apprenticed together. The horse is owned by a great syndicate and this means an awful lot."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
