War too strong for hat-trick seeking Lion

The John Murphy-trained War Diary wore down Sea The Lion in the closing stages of the Ragusa Handicap at the Curragh to deny his rival a hat-trick of successes in the €50,000 contest.

Sea The Lion had claimed the last two runnings of the mile-and-a-half contest and came to lead a furlong from home this time.

War Diary had to squeeze his way through to launch his challenge, under Niall McCullagh, but once in the clear he stayed on well and got on top in the closing stages to record a neck victory at odds of 6/1.

The unexposed Declaration Of War gelding was making his first outing in handicap company having landed a Clonmel maiden back in April.

There was a stewards enquiry into the interference caused to Persian Lion when War Diary made up his ground inside the final furlong but the result stood.

George Murphy, son and assistant of the trainer said:- “He’s a big, late-developing horse and is a nice one for the future. He’d two lovely runs last year, and he won an ordinary contest at Clonmel but he did it nicely.

“We were a bit worried that there were a few hardened campaigners in the race, and it was a tough ask for a horse with as little experience as him.

“We don’t have anything in particular in mind but he can come back a few furlongs as well.

“That’s the first time he’s had good ground and it’s drying out all the time. He seemed to enjoy it and Niall was happy enough with him.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)