World traveller Gordon lands 'home' win

Gordon Lord Byron successfully defied 10 stone in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes over six furlongs in the Curragh.

Tom Hogan 's seven-year-old gelding had to give weight away to all five rivals and although he was easy to back in the morning, support arrived at the track as he shortened to 10/3 from 4/1.

Wayne Lordan settled Gordon Lord Byron in fifth place and he improved to third at the halfway point as Russian Soul moved into the lead from a scrubbed along Balmont Mast

Lordan was soon hard at work in third but his mount began to respond to pressure with over a furlong to race. A couple of left-handers were administered at furlong pole and Gordon Lord Byron got his head in front with less than 200 yards to go.

He was driven out by Lordan to go on and score by three lengths from Balmont Mast (10/1) who just shaded second by a neck from British raider Line Of Reason

Wayne Lordan said: "It was lovely for the horse to get his head back in front. He runs a consistent race every day. It has been a while since he won in Ireland. He's a very genuine horse and he does his best every day he runs.

"It is good to firm ground but it is very kind ground, it's very nice ground. I suppose he is getting older and a little bit more ease in the ground is always a plus to him. He's a great horse to me and a great horse to Tom.

"We went very quick and just for about half a furlong I was caught a bit flat-footed but he stayed on and did his best work towards the finish. He won well. Hopefully back to Hong Kong in December will be the plan."

Tom Hogan added: "It's nice to win at the Curragh as he does a lot of his work here but it is the first time he has won at the Curragh. Every time he came here before something went wrong.

"I wasn't worried about the ground. Firm ground doesn't bother him, it's only dead, sticky ground that he can't handle. I was afraid they would not go much of a pace but they did and he quickened away nicely.

"He may come back here for the Minstrel Stakes. We'll give the July Cup a miss and he can go on his travels then.

"He ran too fresh at Ascot, he hit the gate and ran with the choke out and it was a great run in hindsight. He needs a run every three weeks or else he gets too fresh like at Ascot.

"He could go to France for the Prix Maurice de Gheest and he'll go to Haydock for the Sprint Cup for sure."

This was the 12th win of globe-trotting Gordon Lord Byron's career. His last win in Ireland came in August 2013 at Leopardstown.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee