Clearys return for poignant family triumph

There were emotional scenes at Galway Races on Monday evening as the Cleary family celebrated a notable triumph. Athlone father and son duo, Tom and Rory Cleary, were joined in the winners" enclosure by Tom"s brother John and his family after their charge Miranda"s Girl recorded a popular success in the GPT Cork Handicap. The Ballybritt track is, of course, a poignant place for the Clearys after Sean"s tragic death following a fall from his mount All Heart almost five years ago at the venue. Rory, brother of the late Sean, has since returned to the track to register a string of victories as a jockey, not least when he took the crown as top flat jockey at the festival in 2004. But this was the first victory for father Tom as a trainer on the Galway track. And with the horse owned by brother John and much of the work at home in Ballygowlan, Carrickobrien, being carried out by another son, Paul, there was a real family feel to the occasion. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent afterwards, Tom said: 'We were expecting her to run well. She ran in Fairyhouse just over a week ago and jockey Johnny Murtagh said she had got into a bit of trouble and had never really got a race. 'The plan was to run her in Galway. We were expecting a good run and maybe for her to come in the first three, but she surprised me the way she won it so well.'