Boynagh brings more joy to Halpin

THE rapidly-improving Boynagh Joy proved a shock 12/1 winner of the listed Cooley Fillies Stakes at Dundalk last night.

The James Halpin-trained mare was recording her fourth win since mid-September and grabbed this valuable black type success despite rider Sean Levey being unable to claim his 5lb. allowance.

And, having watched the five-year-old come through with a storming challenge inside the final furlong to beat Barring Decree by a half-length, Halpin admitted: “I’m surprised, but not shocked. She has improved so much over the last couple of months that we didn’t know she’d cope with the leap from handicap into listed class.