Dream result for rookie Whelan

Sixteen-year-old Ronan Whelan enjoyed his second success when producing an accomplished display aboard Puncher Clynch in the featured Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Premier Nursery at Listowel yesterday.

His previous win came on Seachantach, like Puncher Clynch, trained by Jim Bolger, at Navan. Whelan had the son of Azamour bowling along in front from the start and was seen to real effect through the final furlong.

Joshua Tree, a major order in the ring, tried his luck up the inside in the straight, but could not find an opening and was hampered inside the furlong pole.