Donovan delivers as Offaly jockey enjoys winning streak

Moneygall jockey Philip Donovan has been enjoying a fruitful spell recently, during which he has claimed a number of wins.

Donovan was on the mark at Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo and twice in Kilbeggan, riding winners for Tipperary trainers Andy Slattery and Eoin Seymour.

At Ballinrobe on July 22, Donovan was on board 13/8 favourite Royal Hollow, owned and bred by Margaret O'Rourke, winning the second of the two-mile one-furlong maiden hurdles for Slattery.

The six-year-old led after the first hurdle and hardly saw another rival as she scored by ten lengths from the Jonathan Sweeney-trained 2/1 chance Fatal Flaw.

The Donovan-ridden Ixigreczed gave Nenagh trainer Eoin Seymour his first winner when landing the opening division of the two-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan on the previous Friday evening. The 14/1 chance, in the trainer’s own colours, made all the running and she held off Philip Rothwell’s 100/1 shot Minority Interest by a length and a quarter.

This success followed another win in Kilbeggan when Donovan guided Slim Marvel to get the better of Willie Mullins-trained hotpot Four Clean Aces to win the opening mares’ maiden hurdle.

Trained for the Niland & Burke Syndicate by Andy Slattery, the 100/30 chance led at the halfway mark and held off the Paul Townend-ridden 11/10 favourite Four Clean Aces by three-parts of a length.