A first winner at Thurles for Chris Hayes There was a long delay to the Racing Again October 24th Maiden after 4/1 second favourite Defilade got himself caught up in the stalls. Withdrawn after eventually being extricated, a new market was formed in which Hazran was made market leader at 5/6. Unfortunately for any of his loyal backers, Michael Halford’s charge made it four times in a row to be a beaten favourite as Acapella Blu came home three lengths to the good at 12/1. In first-time headgear, Chris Hayes sat second to Magic Fountain before shaking up Dermot Weld’s Dubawi filly coming to the two furlong pole. She was not for catching from that point, with the battle being for minor honours. Vocatus (5/1) got up for second, two short heads in front of Magic Fountain (12/1) and the favourite in third and fourth respectively. Racing in the colours of the Moyglare Stud, the winner was bred by Ballylinch Stud and is from the family of 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Red Rocks. Having ridden his first ever winner at the the track, Chris Hayes commented: "It is vitally important that a filly with that pedigree gets a winning bracket and it was fairly straightforward. I got the information earlier on on how to ride the place from Pat (Smullen) and it worked out." On the unfortunate incident regarding the withdrawn horse Defilade, assistant trainer Shane Lyons remarked: "The horse got his leg stuck in a very narrow gap in the stalls and fair play to Matty White, the stall handlers and the groundsmen. The vet sedated the horse and an angle grinder was used to cut the stall. "If they all didn't do what they did it could have been a bad outcome. The horse is fine now, he has just a few superficial cuts but will be ok. But fair play to the boys." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
