Lethal Turbo blasts home in Bellewstown

Lethal Turbo looked the one to beat in Bellewstown's opener and punters got it right as he made virtually all.

The grey colt had the best form on view courtesy of a runner-up berth at Fairyhouse in May and readily got off the mark on this step up in trip.

The 9/4 favourite didn't have the best of draws in stall nine for this extended seven furlong auction maiden but Shane Foley soon tacked him over to the rail to lead.

He took them along from Arabic Channel and Gunslinger in a race dominated by those three horses.

At the business end Lethal Turbo was punched out to beat Gunslinger (4/1) by a length and three parts.

Arabic Channel (10/1) was a further two and three quarter lengths away in third.

Trainer Michael Halford said: “He’s a lovely big horse and it’s really only starting to happen for him. I ran him at the Curragh first time out and the ground came up really bad. He was one of those horses who thought he knew it all at home but when he went away he got a bit lost.

“He ran a good race at Fairyhouse but just rolled around a bit that day on the quicker ground. He’s improved a lot since and got the trip well there today. He relaxes but doesn’t lack a bit of pace either.

“When he was drawn wide I said to Shane to take advantage of his bit of experience and go forward on him. He got the rail which probably helped him around here. He was always fairly comfortable and if he gave him a smack he’d have found more.

“He’s got bundles of energy and I’d say we haven’t got near the bottom of him yet.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee