Blue blinkers Verhoyen wins under Billy Lee© Photo Healy Racing
Billy Lee brought up a Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas Day treble when Verhoyen (12/1) showed twenty one rivals a clean pair of heels in the Betway Handicap.
Lee triumphed earlier for Paddy Twomey on Pinar Del Rio and Willie McCreery on Epona Plays and Verhoyen seemed to enjoy the ease underfoot from his stall five draw.
Followed home by Pretty Boy Floyd (stall one), Pretty Rebel (11) and The King Of Kells (4) in an event where the far-side held sway, Verhoyen dominated from the front.
The Michael Grassick runner eventually came home a convincing two and three parts of a length to the good.
“I was surprised at that. He broke very quick today, sometimes he's inclined to rear when the stalls open, but he was gone today,” said Grassick.
“I'd say it was fresh ground where he came up. They never landed a blow, he's not that well handicapped — he's exposed at this stage of his career.
“Nothing has been up where he went and he said he let him drift over to the far rail.
“He's been in great form, he's had a few little niggly problems since last year. In Naas he hadn't run since September.
“Mikey Sheehy rode him two weeks ago and said he gave a heave at the furlong marker but he got his second wind and ran on, he was eye-catching enough.
“With natural progression you'd have to fancy him today but when there are 22 runners in a handicap you are just hoping they run well.
“He's a character at home. We've been bringing him to the beach at Donabate every Saturday morning and I think that's helped him as well.
“We'll have a crack at the Scurry and hopefully the handicapper doesn't take that too literally.
“We could also look at the big six furlong race here on Champions Weekend.”
A.C. Persse, rider of The Peckhampouncer trained by D.Broad, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was slowly away out of stalls.
At the request of the Stewards, Emma Louise Doyle, rider of Spanish Tenor trained by Timothy Doyle, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that her mount jumped sharply to the right on leaving the stalls.
Owing to the ground conditions, the Stewards granted permission for the seventh race, The Betway Handicap, to be run over the reduced distance of 5 furlongs and 110 yards and for the starting stalls to be placed on the stand side for all sprint races.
(GC & EM)
