HAVING fallen at the last in his two previous starts, both during the autumn campaign, it was a case of third time lucky for Wilson Dennison’s Folcano in the five- and six-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tinahely last Sunday.

The 2015 Falco bay, who was ridden for the third time by yard amateur Stephen Connor, is trained at Loughanmore by Colin McKeever who stressed that his French-bred charge is a very good jumper and has been from the start.

“He was unlucky to fall those first two times,” said McKeever who was saddling his third winner of the season. “We didn’t do anything different with him since the falls as he has always jumped well at home. In fact, he’s such a good leaper that if he was to run in the Grand National, I’d ride him myself!

“Wilson bought him privately in France. He’s a half-brother to that horse of Gordon’s who won the Triumph Hurdle (Farclas) and his breeder (Remy Gier), who lives in Switzerland, rang to say how delighted he was that the horse won on Sunday. He’ll go to the sale at Cheltenham next week.”

Heading to the same sale from Loughanmore is the Shantou bay Ardhill, second in a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tattersalls early last month, and Newlands Farm’s Teasing Georgia. That now four-year-old New Approach filly won a junior bumper over an extended mile and a half at Wetherby early last month on her only start for trainer Stuart Crawford, in whose colours she ran.