LAST Friday week was a red-letter day for amateur Daire McConville who recorded his first racecourse success when winning the second division of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on the always-prominent Boogily Lane.

Daire (23), who has eight point-to-point wins to his credit, is in his final year studying civil engineering at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. He was accompanied to the Co Meath meeting by his father, and the horse’s trainer, Stephen (a builder in Portadown), with whom he rides out each morning. They have five horses in work with elder brother, and former amateur, Michael, coming in from his job in construction to help out when needed.