Beau leaves McGuinness "a bit surprised"

"I'm a bit surprised. He hates very heavy ground and had two bad runs on it. This was his last spin of the year so we let him take his chance," acknowledged trainer Ado McGuinness after his Beau Satchel (16/1) won the Leopardstown Christmas Festival Handicap under Oisin Orr.

Beau Satchel was never too far away and he made his ground from over two furlongs out. The six-year-old Indesatchel gelding got to the front inside the last and he got the better of Jacobs Well (well-backed second favourite) by half a length.

"It's not very testing today - he can't handle really heavy. He was in good form. We just breezed him the other day and it left him nice and fresh," further explained McGuinness.

"We'll go to Galway next year! He's been a great servant. He's won seven times and won at Galway three times. We'll try and make it four in a row next year."

The Stewards interviewed S.B. Kelly, rider of Jacobs Well, concerning his use of the whip in this race.

Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that the rider was in breach of Regulation 10.3(f), in that he used the whip with excessive frequency and having considered his record, cautioned him concerning his future responsibilities in this regard.

(GC & EM)