Doonbeg Wins First European Start

Former O’Brien Award winner, Doonbeg, has enjoyed a victorious beginning to his new life in Europe, with an eased-down win in FFA competition at Amman Valley in Wales earlier this afternoon

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The six-year-old Camluck stallion moved to Porterstown Stables in Co Kildare, Ireland earlier this year and was making a belated first start for his new trainer and driver, Geoffrey Dunne, scoring comfortably in 2:01 on a the rain-soaked half-mile oval at Amman Valley.

Starting from post four in the six-horse affair, the one-time pupil of James 'Friday' Dean endured a second over trip for the first circuit before swooping to the front at the half and moving seven lengths clear to eventually go on and break European 'maiden' at the first time of asking at a virtually unbackable price of 1/7.

"I maybe moved him a little earlier than I wanted to," driver Dunne explained "but he was out, around and in about ten strides and he just took me there real easy. Once I revved him up he went on about six, seven lengths clear and felt really good throughout. The track was very heavy, they'd had a lot of rain here and conditions were tough but he was well up for it."

"I was a little nervous going into the race, not because of the horse because I knew he's be good, but his first start was so long in coming and there was such a fuss made of him here today - people were coming over to the horsebox pretty much all day to get a look at him - that it was a great relief to eventually just get him out on the track and get the race into him and get the first win out of the way. I'm over the moon now, truth be told, he went good"

Doonbeg had served notice of his ability just over a week ago in a low-key workout (pictured) at Annaghmore Raceway in Co Armagh, Ireland when only a few prying eyes caught a glimpse of his impressive mile in rein, on that occasion, to Jonathan Dunne.

To watch Doonbeg's European debut courtesy of S4/C, click here.

Next up for Doonbeg will be the more sizeable challenge of FFA competition at Tir Prince Raceway - also in Wales - next Monday night, September 7 on the undercard of the Crock of Gold final - which is the jewel in the crown of the Stakes calendar in Great Britain and Ireland.

The action will be available live on www.s4c.co.uk from 4.30 p.m. (E.S.T) next Monday evening.

(Photos and story by Eric Haughan)