Protagonist makes a winning start for Harrington

Protagonist (3/1 jt fav) was a comfortable winner of the concluding MansionBet Proud To Support Irish 3-y-o Handicap over the extended 9f on his first start for Jessica Harrington.

The gelded son of Wootton Bassett had shown some potential in four starts across the water for Jamie Osborne last term, the pick of which was when not far off Royal Ascot runner-up Tritonic at Ffos Las.

In a race run at a muddling pace, he didn’t over-race for Shane Foley and picked up well to beat 5/1 chance Helvic Dream (conceding 18lbs to the winner) by a length and a quarter, with Too Soon To Panic (11/1) back in third. After two recent runner-up finishes at the course, Feminista (3/1 jt fav) didn’t perform on this occasion and finished in rear.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington remarked: “He’s in again at Fairyhouse (next Thursday) and he’ll probably run if the ground is safe.

“He’s a real nice horse and since he’s come to us we’ve thought a lot of him. Hopefully he’s nice and progressive.

“He does like a little bit of an ease in the ground. We thought he might have been a handicapper for Ascot but coronavirus got in the way! It’s nice to have a winner for Michael Buckley again.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee