Tears as unemployed construction worker triumphs while trainer Aidan O’Brien proves the day’s other big winner
THE OWNER of the winning horse found it difficult to remember the horse’s name. “It’s . . . it’s . . . it’s Invincible Ash,” he eventually recalled with a huge grin.
Trevor Cawley from Sligo was still in shock. “I hadn’t a clue we’d won,” he said. His wife Caroline Cawley burst into tears when she realised. The unemployed construction worker had just won a tax-free €1 million in the National Lottery Sweepstake Race at the Curragh.
The couple couldn’t believe it. “My dad passed away 18 months ago and this is what I was holding in my hands during the race,” he said unclenching his fist to reveal his father’s black rosary beads.
Trevor lost his job with John Sisk & Co eight months ago. He bought a €20 lottery ticket and 25 winners were picked out as “owners for a day” of one of the 25 horses entered in the Sweepstake race.
Invincible Ash which is owned by PJ Condron was ridden by jockey Gary Carroll and trained by Michael Halford.
Caroline, a care assistant in Sligo had told her husband not to be buying any more tickets. He bought his winning ticket at Declan McCrann’s Mace shop in Holborn Street Sligo.
“Caroline came home and asked me if I bought one of the tickets and I said no,” he said with a grin.
Each of the 25 ticket holders came away with a minimum €10,000. “I was delighted with the €10,000,” says Caroline. “We were going to keep the money for our girls, Emer , Rebecca , Katie and Abbie . Maybe we’ll spend that €10,000 now.”
Their win was in the fifth race of the Irish Derby card. Almost 20,000 people turned out for the biggest and final day of the festival where entertainment included YouTube phenomenon Crystal Swing.
The main race of the day was the €1.25 million Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
It was the fifth Derby win in a row for trainer Aidan O’Brien and he recorded a 1-2-3 in the race. “I just feel privileged to be part of the whole thing and everyone worked so hard” he said.
It was a fourth success in the race for winning jockey Johnny Murtagh, who took a tumble in the first race of the day.
Mrs John Magnier is a joint owner of the three horses and John Magnier said afterwards “It doesn’t get any better than this”. Asked if he was well used to all these wins he said “If you ever got used to it you’d stop doing it”.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen was one of the award presenters to the Derby winners and the only working politician seen at the races. Former taoiseach Albert Reynolds and former tánaiste Dick Spring were also in situ.
“I’m delighted” Mr Cowen said when he heard of Trevor Cawley’s win, “I hope it will turn his life around”. Asked about his party’s poor showing in the latest opinion poll Cowen said “You’re not going to be popular in the worst recession for 70 years but we’re in the middle of a programme of work” and “firmly focused on a strategy that will deliver growth”.
Back with the lottery races winners and, in second place, was Denis Crowe from New Ross whose wife Mairéad collected his €500,000 prize money for Brushed Aside. Denis wasn’t well enough to travel but Mairéad was surrounded by family and friends.
Third-placed Hawkeyethenoo won €250,000 for a delighted Anne Nelson from Crumlin in Dublin, while Martin McDonnell from Drogheda came fourth winning €100,000 with Novellen Lad. The “owner” of fifth-placed Lough Mist is still a mystery. Deirdre Murphy from Day’s Bazaar in Mullingar sold the ticket but the winner has yet to come forward. “I think it was bought on June 6th,” she says. “We’ll go back and check the CCTV”.
The lucky winner can claim a €50,000 prize. As the slogan goes “It could be . . . someone in the Westmeath area”.