Curran & Bunyan strike with Jabbar

Jabbar stayed on best under Dean Curran to win the Plaza Hotel Handicap in the colours of Lance Bloodstock Limited.

Successful at Newcastle in November of 2021, when trained by Andrew Balding, the four-year-old finished eighth of 22 on his debut for Darren Bunyan at Cork last month, again running a fine race when third on his most recent outing at the Curragh.

As short as 4/1 in early shows for this mile and three contest, the Galileo Gold gelding eventually went off an easy-to-back 10/1 chance.

Settled in mid-division and pushed along on the inner approaching the straight, he made good progress from over two-furlongs out and was soon ridden in third.

Brought to the outer inside the final 200 yards, he soon found another gear and hit the front close home, going to beat Tastytee (7/1) by half-a-length.

. Romann (8/1) finished strongly to take third, another half-a-length away, while Folly Beach (10/3fav) could only manage a disappointing sixth.

"I rode him up the Curragh the last day when we met a bit of trouble but flew home. We were confident he'd run a big race today, our horses are starting to hit form and they look a million dollars," Curran commented.

"The horses are in a very good place and I'm in a very good place being in the yard. I'd like to thank Darren and Ger (O'Leary, owner) for supporting me. They look after me second-to-none and it is great to repay them with a winner. I'm full-time in the yard and it is a great place to be."

STEWARDS REPORTS

R.C. Colgan, rider of Contrapposto trained by R.Donohoe, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount hung right in the straight.

R. Whearty, rider of Breakintheclouds trained by Patrick Downey, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was tight for room on the first bend.

C.D. Hayes, rider of Hello Power trained by D.J. Bunyan, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount hung both ways during this race.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes