Niall McCullagh wins third Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch

Drawn 30, McCullagh manoeuvred the four-year-old Cheltenham festival winner into a handy slot in mid-division, tracked the leaders into the straight and produced him to lead and burst clear before holding the late surge of 66/1 shot Chally Chute by a half-length, with Queenstown back in third.

Sun, 28 Sep, 2025 - 19:25

John Ryan

Niall McCullagh, senior member of the jockeys room at 56 years of age, won the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch for the third time when landing yesterday’s €600,000 Curragh feature on the J P McManus-owned, Joseph O’Brien-trained Puturhandstogether, backed into 7/1 favourite.

Runner-up in the ‘Lartigue in Listowel on Thursday, Puturhandstogether was second reserve for the 30-runner affair, got the call-up yesterday morning and was the only ride on the card for McCullagh, previously successful in the race on Marlion (1989) and Elupa (1994).