Second Champions Festival winner of the weekend for Whelan

The penultimate race, the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes was won by Spirit D’or (13/2) who showed a very willing attitude to take the honours for French-based Irish trainer Gavin Hernon, with local jockey, Ronan Whelan clocking up his second win of the weekend.

Whelan is a multiple Group 1-winning pilot, who has delivered at the highest level at the Irish Champions Festival before and he enjoyed this victory for a friend of long-standing.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” said the beaming Whelan. “Watching the videos and speaking to everyone involved, she’s quite a forward-going filly. Noel Meade’s (Lethimfly) went along and I couldn’t pick a better set-up. She went long enough that I could drop mine in.

“The last furlong was a little bit of an unknown but we thought once she done things right, she’d see it out. She’s a great attitude. She’s tough. I probably got there sooner than ideal but I didn’t want to break the momentum.

“It was a big call by Gavin to bring her over here. I got a good kick out of that. Myself and Gavin worked in Jim Bolger’s many moons ago. He rang me during the week and we had a debrief whether it was worth bringing her over. We both thought it was a good idea. What a great pot to get! (€138,000 to the winner). The second punch (to the air) was for the pot! But it’s a great training performance by the guys.”