Samrogue swoops late to take sprint handicap

Ross O’Sullivan has enjoyed a highly successful 2021 with his dual-purpose string and Samrogue kept the ball rolling for the Kill trainer when getting up close home to land the five-furlong View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap. No Speed Limit made a bold bid from the front to add to his win here last Friday and still held a lead of about three lengths over a furlong out.

However, Samrogue really got going inside the final furlong and just snatched victory under Conor Hoban in the final strides.

The 7/2 chance had a neck to spare at the line, with Theriverrunsdeep a further two and a half lengths adrift in third.

O’Sullivan, who has saddled over 20 winners under both codes this year, said: “She's a homebred filly and it's a first winner in Yvonne(Lavin)'s colours. She’s a Roscommon woman and from a well-known racing family.

“She took a while to relax and learn what it was all about. She was very free on her first couple of runs and then she learned to relax and be a racehorse. Every run she has gotten better and better.

“We had a bit of a debate whether five or six would suit her and even though she won over five today, I think she'll be a filly that gets six.

“Hopefully there is plenty of improvement in her, the fact that she's only three.”

The winner is entered again over six furlongs at Dundalk next Wednesday.