Stanhope carries topweight to victory under Cleary

Topweight Stanhope (7/1) kept on well under a strong drive by Rory Cleary to take the Beauparc Handicap by half a length from Miacomet

Quickly into stride, the winner was always close to the pace and led over a furlong out before finding plenty for pressure.

11/4 favourite Face Off didn’t fire on this occasion and finished with only one behind.

It was a fourth career success for the Equiano six-year-old who had won twice for previous handler Damian English.

He had run well just last Sunday when not beaten that far, having been hampered, in the Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh and availed of a drop in class here.

Winning trainer John McConnell said: “It's great to win for the guys involved in him (Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate).

"They backed me by giving me a horse and they are a good bunch to train for, they just let you at it, and they are very professionally run.

“The horse has had his issues in the past but in fairness when I got him he was in good nick and he's been very straight-forward.

“He had a very good run in the Rockingham, and he was possibly unlucky in it. We thought coming here he'd have a good chance but 10st 2lb was a big weight to carry.

“He's in here next week but we'll enjoy this and then we'll see whether he runs next week. He'll have to run in something half decent again.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson