Progressive Urban defies top-weight

The Johnny Murtagh trained Urban Beat defied top-weight to take the Plusvital Speed Gene Handicap.

Having finished down the field on his debut over the course and distance last May, the son of Red Jazz landed a gamble when successful on his return to action at Navan last month.

As short as 9/2 in early shows, the bay colt touched 10/1 on-course before going off an 8/1 chance under Shane Foley.

Settled in mid-division, he was tenth on the stand side group from halfway. He was ridden with less than two furlongs to race, and gradually closed on the leaders, sweeping to the front inside the final furlong, before going on to score comfortably by three and a half lengths. Aurora Eclipse (16/1) finished second under Leigh Roche for Michael O'Callaghan, while Tammy Wynette (9/1) kept on well to take third, a neck behind under Wayne Lordan for Willie McCreery.

The Richard O'Brien trained Maymine was sent off the well-backed 11/4 favourite (12s in early shows and from 7/2 on-course), and she finished fourth.

"Shane said he was a little bit lonely on his own and he thought he was on the wrong side," said Murtagh.

"He got racing a bit early and pinched a couple of lengths on them. We think he's a nice horse. He was working very well last year.

"His mark of 89 looked stiff but Shane said he'd be competitive off 89 on his work during the week. He has stepped on in his work.

"We'll see what the handicapper does. He's on his way to being a nice horse.

"He has the strength, he's big and he's physical. We've a few nice sprinters at home, the likes of Golden Spell, and they are all going well together. We have a good line on them now.

"I'm hopeful that he will step up into to group class later in the year. I'd love to get another go in a handicap so hopefully the handicapper is not as hard on him this time as he was the last time.

"Fitzwilliam Racing are absolutely flying. This is a Fitzwilliam one, Fitzwilliam two have all the two-year-olds. It's a lot of the same people rolling over again, we just need a two-year-old to win now."

STEWARDS REPORT

G.P. Halpin, rider of Hello Brigette trained by M.D. O'Callaghan, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount stopped quickly.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson