Late Day Sun scores for Weld & Smullen

The penultimate race, the Fleetwood Paints Handicap, on a bumper eight race card at the Curragh this afternoon, went to the Dermot Weld trained, Pat Smullen ridden Late Day Sun

The lightly raced daughter of Montjeu, was having just her fifth start today, having won her maiden on her second outing at Dundalk in October of last year as a 2yo.

Although finishing last of six on her seasonal debut at Dundalk, she was just under four lengths behind the winner Printmaker and on her next start she was just under three lengths behind Minsk at the Curragh.

The winning 3yo filly, chased the early leader Cheers Buddy (14/1) in second for the early part, before improving to dispute the lead briefly, three furlongs out.

She dropped back to second again and was ridden two furlongs from home.

However she stayed on best to catch eventual third Cheers Buddy near the line and held off the late challenge of Puzzled to score by half a length. Gold Mirage the 11/4 favourite, finished fourth for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning.

There was plenty of market support for the winner this morning having being backed from an opening show of 7/1 into 9/2, but she drifted back out to 6/1 on track.

The runner-up Puzzled was attempting to land a bit of gamble having being backed from 10/1 this morning into 4/1 second favourite at the off.

Winning trainer Dermot Weld said afterwards: "We brought her back to a mile and two today as she didn't get home over a mile and a half the last day. She looked a winner two furlongs out on that last start.

"She won her maiden over a mile and two as well."

Donal Murphy