Racing success for Athlone jockey and Westmeath trainers

It was a great week for Westmeath jockeys and trainers.

Rory Cleary, from Athlone, was among the winners as Halla Ban took the 10-furlong handicap at Roscommon on Monday. A 7/1 chance, she did not get the best of runs in the straight but came through to lead in the final strides to beat the Tony Martin-trained 14/1 shot Pralognan by a neck with Jessica Harrington’s 2/1 favourite Dubawi Spectre only a head away in third place.

Rathowen trainer Adrian Murray sent out a 14/1 winner at Punchestown on Tuesday where Vale Of Glory took the opening division of the two-mile handicap hurdle. With Granard conditional Eoin Kelly riding in his father Mickey’s colours, the eight-year-old was a few lengths clear when making a mistake at the final hurdle but he recovered to win by a length and a quarter form the Ross O'Sullivan-trained 7/2 favourite Crafty Gael, a third career success for the jockey.

Conditional jockey Eoin Walsh rode the 50th winner of his career when partnering Princess Sophia to take the second division of the two-mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday. Trained by Ciaran Murphy, the 10/1 chance made all the running to beat the Tony Martin-trained Movie King by a length and a quarter for her owners, the Real Dirty Dozen Syndicate.