DONEGAL jockey Luke McAteer was celebrating an 18/1 winner at Naas yesterday evening.
The Rathmullan man took James Barrett’s big-priced Red Pantz to victory in the O’Neill & Co Chartered Surveyors & Auctioneers Handicap.
McAteer and Red Pantz had half-a-length of a margin to nearest challenger, the 3/1 favourite Kosman, under the guidance of Shane Kelly,
Red Pantz pushed along and pressed hard in the final furlong of six, staying on well over the final stages of the race.
Winning trainer Barrett said: “I wasn’t sure she would have early pace then and I told him to jump out and we made too much use of her.
“Today he jumped, sat there and he said she was always finding. We knew two out she was going to do it.
“She’s a nice honest filly and has a super attitude. She has a big pedigree as well so it’s good that she’s won.”
The win is McAteer’s fourth of 2020 and came a day after Trentagh’s Martin Harley took 9/1 shot Fibonacci to a win at Sandown for trainer Alan King.
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