Xebec makes all under McDonogh for Oxx

Xebec made all to land the Drogheda Traders Plate Handicap under Declan McDonogh for John Oxx.

A winner of two races last year, the four-year-old son of Mizzen Mast filled the runner-up spot on his last two outings at Gowran and Killarney respectively.

Available at 9/2 this morning, the Francois Vincent Fabre owned victor eventually went off the second favourite at 3/1.

Sent straight to the front by McDonogh, the successful grey gelding was ridden and went a few lengths clear with over a furlong to race.

His advantage was reduced in the closing stages, but he had done enough to prevail by three parts of a length.

HInt Of Frost finished second at 6/1 with Tom Madden aboard for Jessica Harrington, while Sretaw (14's to 9's) was a length and a quarter back in third under Wayne Lordan for Gavin Cromwell. Tarazani was sent off the 7/4 favourite and he was fourth, a further half a length back under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld.

John Oxx said afterwards: "We'll have to find something for him to do next Wednesday as he has run the last three and is getting better!

"He deserved that as he's very consistent. Most of the time he runs the same sort of race. He's a front-runner and everyone knows what he's going to do.

"He handled the track and turned very well. He didn't go a mad gallop in front and that won the race as he had plenty in the tank in the straight and was able to keep going.

"He handles anything from yielding to soft to good to firm and is a very sound horse. He's as heavy as he's ever been and takes his racing well.

"He'll be in the Autumn sales at Newmarket at the end of the year.

"We'll look for similar races to this. We won't fly too high.

"The owner has just one mare and has a sibling to him in training in the US. He's a lovely owner and a lovely man."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson