Deegan glad with Sruthan success

Sruthan got his season off to the best possible start when taking the Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes in convincing fashion at the Curragh. Custom Cut won this Group 3 event 12 months ago and again made a bold bid from the front but was collared by Chris Hayes’ mount inside the final furlong.

The four-year-old son of Arakan kept on well in the closing stages to score by a length and a half, with Custom Cut just holding off Wannabe Better for second place.

Sruthan won three of his six outings last year finishing up with a Group 3 success at Tipperary last autumn and trainer Paul Deegan believes the best is yet to come.

Deegan said, “I always thought he was going to be a better horse this year. He’s grown and has huge depth to him.

“He’ll stick to in and around a mile and will improve from that. He could go for the Prix du Muguet (Group 2 in Saint-Cloud) or the Lockinge. We’ll see how he is after this.

“I haven’t killed him for today as it’s a long season. We have his two-year-old full-sister at home called Lily White Socks and she’ll be out soon.”