Cleary Farrell claims his second career win

Conditional jockey Sean Cleary Farrell recorded his second career success when partnering Criminal Justice to a narrow success in the two-mile maiden hurdle at Clonmel on Tuesday of last week.

Sean is a son of the late jockey Sean Cleary from Athlone, and he was born just two days before the passing of his father in hospital, six days after a fall from a horse in a flat race in Galway in 2003.

Sean's grandfather Tom Cleary is a well regarded trainer who lives in Athlone, and his uncle Rory has enjoyed considerable success as a jockey.

Owned and bred by champion amateur rider Patrick Mullins, Criminal Justice was a first winner for Closutton-based trainer Steve Jones.

An 18/1 chance, the six-year-old led close to the line to beat the Conor O'Dwyer-trained 5/6 favourite Skradin by three-parts of a length.

Meanwhile, the honour of training the first winner of the 2023 Flat season went the way of Westmeath trainer Adrian Murray who saddled Bucanero Fuerte to land the two-year-old maiden at the Curragh on Saturday.

It was also a fine start to the new term for favourite backers as the 3/1 market leader impressed with a two and three-parts of a length win over the Kieran Cotter-trained 7/2 chance Sturlasson. The winner is owned in partnership by AMO Racing and Giselle De Aguiar and was ridden by Kevin Stott who was enjoying his first success on only his third ride in Ireland.