Powell completes 59/1 double on Zoffman in October Handicap

Zoffman gave connections a nice payday when landing the €40,000 Leopardstown October Premier Handicap and completed a 59/1 double on the day for talented apprentice Jamie Powell.

The Noel Meade-trained gelding won a Curragh maiden last month that has been working out well and indeed the form was given a timely boost in the previous race where runner-up Rare Middleton went one better.

The 5/1 joint favourite challenged down the outer in the straight and after leading inside the final furlong, kept on strongly to score by two and a half lengths from Safecracker Comfort Zone finished best of all when also coming on the outside to take third with the other joint favourite Yashin close up in fourth.

Meade said, “Going a trip has helped him and today he looked like he would even go further. Easy ground has also been a factor. He's very small and I thought with the light weight he had a real good chance.

“You are always surprised when they win as easy as that, he did it very well. He's doing things right and he's going places. I had him in a three-year-old handicap at Navan but I was keen to come here because I thought we'd go for the money.

“I have schooled him and he jumps quite well but he's so small that I can't imagine how he could make a jumper. If there is nothing left for him we'll leave him over the winter and bring him back for good handicaps next year over that trip.”

Quotes by Gary Carson