Adams Barbour wins under Luke McAteer© Photo Healy Racing
The concluding six-furlong handicap resulted in a sixth win at Dundalk for the 16/5 favourite Adams Barbour who controlled the race from the front under Luke McAteer.
Quickly away as is his wont, he soon led but came under a drive from the two-furlong marker. The tough and consistent Elzaam gelding kept on in determined fashion to hold Company Keeping by three quarters of a length with Teddy Boy a further half a length away in third.
The five-year-old winner was defying a career-high mark of 70 and will race under a 7lb penalty if taking up his engagement over five furlongs here on Friday.
Winning trainer Lee Smyth said: “He’s probably one of the most improved sprinters in Ireland. We didn’t want to put Chris (Hayes) up today and carry the weight. We wanted to claim the 5lb off him and Luke (McAteer) has given him a very good ride.
“Chris is declared to ride him over five on Friday but we are not going to be greedy and we’ll just see how he is.
“He has six wins around here now and has been second a few times. He was second on a Wednesday here before and then won on the Friday.
“He cleaned his pot the Wednesday night and the Thursday before so we’ll play it by ear and see how he is. He’s not a machine but if he’s happy and well then he’ll be back on Friday.
“He has done more than we ever imagined he would and has been a great servant to the yard.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
