Days makes the breakthrough under McCullagh

These Days made the breakthrough at the sixth time of asking, as he just held off Bandiuc Eile in the Lengthen The Odds With BetVictor Maiden.

Placed on two of his previous five starts, the Ken Condon trained bay was gelded since finishing seventh in a good quality handicap at Naas in April.

Sent off at 5/1 this evening, the son of Acclamation was settled in mid-division by Niall McCullagh, taking closer order on the outer from early in the straight.

He was ridden and got to the front over a furlong from home, keeping on well from there to hold off the late surge of Bandiuc Eile by a head.

The runner-up was returned a 7/2 joint-favourite under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger, while Royal Highness (5/1) was a further length and three parts back in third, with Declan McDonogh aboard this one for Henry de Bromhead. Time Tunnel was the other joint market leader and she finished sixth after breaking slowly from the stalls.

"That was great. He's been a changed horse since the gelding," said McCullagh.

"He was very easy to ride today, I was able to nestle into a nice position from stall 13. I actually got to the front a furlong too soon, he was quite leery in front, and I would have kicked myself if I had got beat.

"We always thought a bit of him at home and he was working okay with some of the nicer ones. We always thought he was capable of doing that. Onward and upwards."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson