ABBEYFEALE jockey Paddy Harnett left superstitions aside when posting a remarkable 150/1 double on Friday the 13th at Dundalk.
Harnett was in the winner’s enclosure early with the Luke Comer trained John Alexander (9/1). On his handicap debut, the four-year-old led well inside the final furlong and held off Je T’ai Porte, ridden for Gavin Cromwell by Robert Whearty, by half a length. This was the evening’s opening €11,500 (winner) 12-furlong Apprentice Handicap.
Harnett’s second winner came in the shape of the Donnacha O’Brien handled Teutates in the €12,000 (winner) Eight-Furlong Maiden. In the trainer’s mother Anne Marie’s colours, the 14/1 chance lost a little ground to his rivals on breaking from the stalls but he improved to lead at the furlong-pole and held the John Murphy-trained Signatory by three-parts of a length at the line, winner number 27 for the successful jockey.
It was the first two-timer of Harnett’s career. He has now ridden 27 winners.
Seasoned Mark Enright of Castlemahon also posted a double on the night, courtesy of Gerry Keane’s Mephisto (12/1) in the €10,000 (winner) Two-Mile Handicap and Chazzesmee (6/4f) for Fozzy Stack in the Second Division of an Eight Furlong Handicap, which carried a top prize of €10,000.
