Donal Murphy
Icon springs surprise under Downey
Future Icon is pushed out by Robbie Downey
© Photo Healy Racing
Future Icon sprang a 20/1 surprise in the New Ireland Assurance Supporting North Kildare Chamber Handicap, scoring under Robbie Downey (third winner since Saturday) for the husband and wife team of Eddie and Aileen (owner) Lynam.
Without a win before today, the daughter of Acclamation (also the sire of the first winner Drumfad Bay was having her sixteenth start this evening.
Settled in mid-division, she was pushed along behind the leaders with two furlongs to race. She swept through to lead over 100 yards from home, keeping on well from there to score by a length and a half. Burren View Lady who was backed from 20's this morning into an starting price of 8's, hit the front over a furlong out by she couldn't hold off the winner and had to settle for second under Daniel Redmond for Denis Hogan. Enter The Red (16/1) kept on to take third, a further half a length back, under Leigh Roche for Aidan Howard, while Count Of Carabass (14's to 8's on-course) was further half a length away in fourth under Colm O'Donoghue for Hillary McLoughlin. Doonard Prince and Hatton Cross were sent off the 6/1 joint-favourites and they finished sixth and fourteenth respectively.
Eddie Lynam said afterwards: "I thought if she came out of the gates that she had a chance. We put a blanket on her today and it worked. I suppose if you wait long enough it will happen, and she was dropped to 50 for this."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee