2lb 'swing' helps Hightimeyouwon

Hightimeyouwon (5/2f) today reversed placings with February conqueror Exquisite Acclaim at Dundalk, narrowly beating his stablemate to lead home an Ado McGuinness-trained '1-2' in the concluding dundalkstadium.com Handicap.

Hightimeyouwon was defeated a neck by stablemate Exquisite Acclaim on February 9 but today, with a minuscule but crucial 2lb swing at the weights, turned around the placings, scoring by a short-head.

Hightimeyouwon's winning jockey Cian MacRedmond reported “this lad deserved. He has been running well and hitting the crossbar, and creeping up in the handicap without winning.

"Today everything went smoothly, I jumped out, had a nice position and the draw helped as well. I got a lovely clear run. He didn't do a whole pile when I got there and inside the furlong pole he really had to dig deep.

"In fairness to the horse, he really stuck his neck out.”

He added “he's nearly 18 hands, so weight (carrying) isn't a problem to this fella. He is going to be rated closer to 90 after tonight's win but there could be a nice pot on the turf again for him.

“He can get there easier racing over the mile and then he parks and I'd say preferably seven (furlongs) suits. You just have to ride him as cold as you can and try and get there on the line."

Quotes from Michael Graham