Jockey Chris Hayes has made a terrific start in his recent link-up with trainer Dermot Weld as the pair completed another double at Leopardstown today with the Aga Khan owned Tinandali in the Mercury Engineering (C&G) Maiden.

Hayes' sole winner for Weld prior to 2019 was in the 2013 Irish St Leger on Voleuse De Coeurs and while his appearances for Weld have been few and far between (Tinandali was his tenth career ride for Weld), the pair have this year combined successfully with four consecutive winners from five runners, with their only defeat coming with runner-up Hazel Bay in a Listed race on March 24.

Weld was impressed by Tinandali's performance, who beat race-fit Grandmaster Flash by a length, and later said “it was a pleasing performance from a very nice colt. We'll look for a Listed race for him now over a mile-and-a-quarter or a mile-and-a-half.

“He was working nicely and got a good confident ride from Chris. He's a horse that I think should make a stakes horse.”

Quotes from Gary Carson