Tonton Macoute beats off opposition

The Patrick Prendergast trained Tonton Macoute has had the proverbial 'for sale' sticker on his backside since his win at Clonmel 16 days ago but the three year old gelding added greatly to his value with a gutsy all-the-way win in the Saadiyat Handicap at The Curragh today.

Ridden by Fran Berry, the son of Yeats was strongly pressed in the closing stages but held on well for a neck and a neck win over John Constable which met a little trouble in running, and slowly away Hannah's Magic

The winner, running in his first handicap from a rating of 80, had been advertised for sale following his Clonmel maiden win and today Prendergast said “he is still for sale but he has gone dearer now!”

“He's by Yeats so he'll get two miles and running him at that mile and a quarter is like a sprint to him. He'll be running on those two miles races on the flat and he also jumps well. This horse could be good fun as he is very slow to learn and is still improving. I half-fancied him when I saw the rain come.”

Regarding the gelding's name (for any prospective purchaser!), a Tonton Macoute was a member of the Haitian paramilitary force created by dictator François 'Papa Doc' Duvalier.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson