Leonard earns plaudits from the front on Garrick Painter

Garrick Painter benefitted from a fine front-running ride by Killian Leonard to take the DundalkStadium.com Handicap.

The 15/2 chance, available at 16/1 earlier in the day, was claimed here by northern trainer Noel Kelly in October and has given connections a quick repayment on a 20,000 outlay.

Leonard’s mount got away smartly from an outside draw in stall 17 and was allowed to dictate matters off a steady pace before winding up the pace entering the straight.

The Zoffany gelding edged left inside the final furlong but still kept on well to beat Obama Army by a length and three quarters.

The 9/4 favourite Picpoul kept on well between horses inside the final furlong to take third a further half-a-length adrift.

Kelly said, "It was a canny ride! Jump out and do what you can, I said.

"I watched Seamie Heffernan here last week - jumped out, got down into that last bend and pulled it (pace) up and he dictated. You have to do that.

"He had all-weather form in Britain and I thought he gave him a brilliant ride.

"We plan to go hurdling now, we bought him to go hurdling. That's a new syndicate that has bought into him. I thought we would take six grand prize money around Dundalk first!"

Quotes by Michael Graham