You couldn't make it up, even if you tried

You couldn't make it up and if you did, there would be accusations of writing pure fiction - but then, it has been said, fact is somethines stranger than fiction?

Two racing enthusiasts travelled to the relatively low-key Laytown races last September looking to buy a racehorse in the ;claimer' that they might be able to run at Dundalk over the winter months when the 'stable star' Captain Cullen took a liitle break.

They purchased Captain Midnight who finished down the field in that claimer.

And now, some two months later Captain Fantastic could be a title that might apply to trainer Joseph Murray who is based outside Navan near Oristown after he displayed a 'magic touch' with the latest addition to his small team that he trains for his wife-to-be (today at 1pm) Lisa Sheridan.

The wedding will take place in Oristown Church today - provided the bride and groom make it to the church on time after an amazing feat was achieved last night at Dundalk Stadium when the 'bargain buy' won for the second time in seven days.

It was an early, but not altogether unexpected, wedding present as Captain Midnight landed the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Handicap about 16 hours before Lisa, all scrubbed up and with her hair looking pristine (if that's the correct description) walk's up to aisle in her local Oristown church.

Last night, when many other couples preparing for a wedding the next day would be concentrating on other matters, Joseph and Lisa were preparing Captin Midnight, and all that goes with that, to run in his second race in a week.

Captain Midnight which won at the track last Friday night on a first outing for his new trainer had failed to win in 17 previous starts, but has now won twice and maintained a 100 per cent record for his new trainer when claiming a short head win for apprentice jockey Keith Moriarty.

The trainer calmly commented - 'It wasn't the plan to come back so soon but he was in too good a form. He was very game in the finish' -

It mightn't have been you plan Joseph - but Lisa said it was the plan - so get used to it - that's probably the reality????

'He'll probably get a little break now' - that was Joseph's next comment (or was it really Joseph that thought of that???).

It is understood that there will be a special portion of the wedding cake kept for Captain Midnight after today's reception in Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim.

 

CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT
Lisa and Joseph purchased Captain Midnight out of a claimer in Laytown in September for €5,000.

Captain Midnight was initially trained by Yorkshire trainer David Brown and had one win in 2013 as a two-year-old at Beverley, but failed to win in seven outings as a three-year-old last year.

Arriving back in Ireland, the Tally-Ho Stud bred gelding ran seven times this year for another trainer but did not win and ended up in that claimer in Laytown. Now he has won twice in seven days.

YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT UP.