Laugh A Minute the Joe McGrath hero under Caffrey

Laugh A Minute was played fast and late to cut down Harry's Hill in the Joe McGrath sprint handicap at the Curragh.

Adam Caffrey conjured a strong finish from the eight-year-old gelding who cut into Harry's Hill's lead in the closing stages. The pair got there by a head at 8/1 from the 16/1 runner-up at the end of six furlongs. Each-way players drew a dividend from The Highway Rat (6/1) and Jon Riggens (13/2), a length and a-quarter and a nose further back in third and fourth respectively. Hallowed Time and Livingston Range were late withdrawals in the gates.

“Adam got chinned on the line with Saltonstall this year in the Lincoln, so that was a good reward for him, he gave him a great ride,” said trainer Ado McGuinness.

“He probably ran a little free the last day, on Irish Champions Weekend, and we just said we'd hold on to him a little bit longer and come with one run. He loves the ground as well.

“He was in great nick, we hadn't worked him since he ran the last day but I knew at home in was in good old form.

“He's been running solid all year, once he gets his ground. It's great for him to get a pot.

“There is a race in York for him in the middle of October, which he was second in a couple of years ago. He'll probably go back there as there should be juice in the ground.

“I've won this Joe McGrath a few times with Bubbly Bellini and Toufan Express. Unfortunately we got 50 or 60 odd thousand then and the prize-money is well down now.

“You'd be a bit disappointed and a few of these premier handicaps have been slipping down. These races aren't easy to win and you usually only win one a year with a horse like this. They are good horses and they should be well able to pay for themselves.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson