A Patient ride pays off for Cheers Buddy

Cheers Buddy came home with a wet sail to readily take the spoils in the Golden Nugget Casino Handicap at Bellewstown.

Lee Smyth's charge ran 10th under Billy Lee, well off the pace. The pair improved by one spot entering the straight but still had plenty to do.

However, Lee must have known he had plenty of horse under him as he sat quietly in seventh with a quarter of a mile to race.

In the final furlong the pair came thundering down the outside to pick off Versilia Gal in the final 100 yards.

The winner was returned at 10/1. He came in by two and a half lengths. Three Bells the 3/1 favourite, grabbed second on the line by a short head from Versilia Gal (7/1).

Trainer Lee Smyth said: "He ran at Hamilton on Tuesday but met a wall of horses and got no run. Joe Fanning rode him and said he'd taken nothing out of himself and to run him again here.

"He seems now to be as consistent as he was on the all-weather. I'd like to freshen him up but he's in such good form that we may go again soon."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee