Gamble landed with Fastnet Crown in sprint handicap

The Michael O’Callaghan-trained Fastnet Crown justified strong support to take the Sherry Fitzgerald Country Homes Handicap at the Curragh.

The 17-runner field split into two groups with Dandy Spirit showing great early speed in the smaller group on the stands’ side.

Leigh Roche elected to switch Fastnet Crown, available at 16/1 overnight and backed down to 13/2 by the off, to the far side after halfway — a move that may have proved inspired.

The far side took control in the final furlong with Goodnight Girl who travelled sweetly for much of the six-furlong trip, ridden to lead over a furlong out.

However, she was collared in the closing stages by Fastnet Crown who scored by three quarters of a length with Cityman coming home well on the far rail another length and a quarter back in third.

Dandy Spirit led the stands’ side challengers home a further half-a-length away in fourth.

Roche said, "He's so lazy throughout the race that you are always on the back foot. I just got there and luckily enough I had something to aim at all the way up the straight.

“He did it well, he shows plenty of ability at home but he just throws it away in the first half of races. It takes him three furlongs to get going and when he gets going he motors home. He was good today.”

(GC & AM)