Athlone-trained horse centre of a major betting coup

Athlone trainer Tom Cleary was at the centre of a notable coup on Saturday, when his newcomer, Great Attitude, took the opener at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The horse had been available at odds of up to 200/1 on the morning of the race, before being backed in to 8/1 for the Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

The four-year-old won comfortably by five and a half lengths in an impressive display for a racecourse debut

Winning trainer Tom Cleary told Racing TV he had asked his son, the flat jockey Rory, to keep an eye out for a good horse for him recently.

“In fairness, he came up with a good one for me!” he said, of the horse that came to his Carrickobrien stables just before Christmas.

Watch the closing stages here

“We were expecting him to run a big race. We were expecting him to definitely be placed. It's a big bonus to win,” Tom said.

Both Tom and Rory were full of praise for the gelding, with Rory saying he is “so straight forward”. “He does everything so easily ... he's an exciting horse to have”.

When pressed if the manner of his victory would result in 'For Sale' signs, Tom Cleary replied: “We are always open to a good customer, definitely,” before revealing he had been asked about the horse in the aftermath of the race. “We'd talk to anybody,” he said.

Rory Cleary held out the prospect of the Clearys keeping the horse. “He's a lovely horse... If we are able to keep him, we'd love to keep him.”