WHILE Westmeath’s gaelic footballers have been riding a memorable wave in recent weeks - now on the cusp of a crucial Croke Park decider against Dublin this weekend - sporting momentum has also been building around a yard right in the heart of The Lake County.

Racing TV’s Gary O’Brien described Ciaran Murphy as “a man for all seasons” after the dual-purpose trainer’s Halon Bay captured a seven-furlong maiden at Leopardstown last Sunday. It’s not hard to see why that moniker makes sense after a series of encouraging results lately.