Horse with 'more setbacks than a royal marriage' lands gamble

Injury-plagued four year old Dapper Power has been a late-comer to flat racing but nonetheless attracted plenty support prior to justifying 7/4 favouritism in the Navan Welcomes Owners Maiden at Navan today.

The Eddie Lynam trained son of Dandy Man made his career debut at the Co Meath venue just last month and today was 'the one for money' and having opened a 3/1 chance this morning, was eventually returned the 7/4 favourite.

Jockey Wayne Lordan was on board in the colours of Sabena Power and in the end Dapper Power held on for a neck win over Peshkova

Following the win a relieved Lynam quipped “he’s had more setbacks than a royal marriage this horse but we got him to the track in the end!

“He’s a horse we always liked. We bought him as a foal as we have been lucky with the family, but he had a chip in a fetlock as a yearling.

“He was persistently lame and giving us a lot of trouble; the vets ruled out the chip in the fetlock but in the end of the day about two years later we took the chip out of the fetlock.

“He’s a big boy of a horse. It was an ordinary maiden and we are under no illusions about him but there could be a bit of fun to be had.

“He’s a handicap sprinter - he’s no Sole Power or Slade Power, and I doubt if we’ll bring him to Dundalk. It’s taken that long to get him right, we’ll try and keep him right for a bit longer!”

Quotes from Alan Magee