Mooney guides See Of Rome home in Naas

A taking move at the two pole by See Of Rome was the winning of the apprentice handicap in Naas.

Stephen Mooney had him in third before he sent his mount up to take over passing the quarter mile marker.

See Of Rome readily drew clear of his rivals approaching the final furlong and had more than enough in the tank to repel staying-on Pedisnap (10/1) by two and a quarter lengths.

The winner didn't go unbacked as he opened at 16/1 and his price contracted to 12/1 on the off.

Each-way punters got a dividend from the gambled-on pair of One Cool Poet (13/2) and Maunganui (25/1) in third and fourth respectively in this 16-runner race over a mile and a quarter.

Trainer Damian English said: "He's a lovely horse. When we got him we kind of ran him straight off the lorry in the Ladies' Derby as we were just trying to figure him out.

“Luke McAteer rode him the last day in Navan and said he was a nailed on certainty the next day over a mile-and-two. So credit to Luke, he called it well.

“Stephen gave him a peach today and he looked like he had plenty in hand. He'll be lovely horse next year for staying handicaps.

“He's not the type of horse we've been buying before, he's the dearest horse we bought in July, and we're just looking to have a decent handicapper over a longer distance.

“He'll tip away in Dundalk, he goes well on the surface up there, and I think the extended mile-and-two will be ideal for him there this winter.

“We'll crack on then next summer and hopefully go for a premier handicap at some stage.”

The Stewards requested a report from Damian Joseph English, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of See Of Rome (GB), placed first, as compared with its recent form. The trainer reported that his charge had only transferred to his yard a few days prior to running at the Curragh on the 21st July where he disappointed. He was given a break and returned at Dundalk on the 21st September where he blew up possibly in need of the run. The last day at Navan on the 29th September his charge ran over the shorter distance of one mile and having broken smartly out of stalls, he was shuffled backwards and lost ground before running on well in the closing stages. In his opinion his charge was produced in good form today and got a clear run throughout the race. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the content of the report.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson