Gamble foiled but favourite still wins

Many punters might be wishing the first four races at Fairyhouse could be replicated more often as Stop And Linger made it a quartet for favourite backers by capturing the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden under Kevin Manning.

Newcomer Peleponnesus was a major mover here, from around 20/1 this morning into 4/1, but Stop And Linger (2/1) put the experience of his two previous outings to good use, eventually seeing Frozen Lake by two and three parts of a length.

Peleponnesus meanwhile, ran wide into the straight and ultimately had to make do with fifth spot.

Ger Flynn, representing Jim Bolger, trainer of Stop And Linger, said: "Kevin said he handled the ground well. It's good, quick ground but there is no jar. Seven furlongs suits him and he'll have no trouble over a mile.

"The penny has really dropped with him now. That's not a bad horse of Aidan's (O'Brien's Sir Isaac Newton) that beat him in Gowran Park, and he was entitled to win his maiden."

J.A. Heffernan, rider of For Goodness Sake trained by John Joseph Murphy, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount ran free, hung left, suffered interference and may not have acted on the good to firm ground.

(AM & EM)