First Friday and Seamie Heffernan edge ahead close home© Photo Healy Racing
First Friday scored a fourth career win when claiming the concluding Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap (div 2) at Dundalk this evening for trainer Paul Hennessy and jockey Seamie Heffernan.
Heffernan edged the gelding, whose last win came following an appeal into his disqualification at the venue in November 2012, into a challenging position inside the final furlong and into the lead at the line for a last-gasp short-head win over Well Insured
Afterwards Hennessy, better known in greyhound circles and as trainer of Late Late Show, said “we nearly won the Laurels (greyhound race run at Curraheen Park in Cork) years ago and I threw my hat in the air thinking we'd won so I said I'd never do that again!”
“Seamie (Heffernan) said after he ran the last night to leave the blinkers off him and he has been a huge help to us and has advised us all along. It's a huge thrill winning with First Friday as we bred him and have had him since a foal.”
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
