Racing: Hogan's dawn run to Ayr

A TIPPERARY trainer makes a dawn raid with his first-ever runners in Britain today. Tom Hogan's two horses will be rubbing the sleep from their eyes when arriving at Ayr this morning after catching the overnight Belfast-Stranraer ferry, writes Chris Corrigan.

Hogan says he is very hopeful of a strong run from Dromineer, the mount of Kieren Fallon, in the 4.15 race. This eight-year-old finished third 10 days ago at the Galway Festival.

``He got stopped twice there when making his run and should have won,'' Hogan said yesterday. ``This is his distance, and he's best on fast going which we should get at Ayr.''

Nuit Saint, Hogan's other representative dispatched from Fattheen House stables, near Nenagh, runs in the 3.15 contest and will be ridden by Willie Supple. ``This horse is as tough as nails and has an each-way chance,'' the trainer added.

Hogan, 46, took out a training licence for the first time last year, but is certainly not new to horseracing. He was formerly a bloodstock agent, and his father bred Glencaraig Lady, the 1972 Gold Cup heroine at Cheltenham.