Admirable Gordon wins the Minstrel again Gordon Lord Byron claimed the Group 2 Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes for the second year in-a-row, scoring under Billy Lee for Tom Hogan. The globe-trotting eight-year-old got back to winning ways at Tipperary on his last start, ending a ten run losing streak. As short as 8/1 last night, the son of Byron proved friendless with punters, and went off a 16/1 chance in the colours of owners Dr Cyrus Poonawalla & Morgan J Cahalan. Settled in second, he came with his challenge from two furlongs out and was continually forced left by the front-running Toscanini. That one eventually straightened up inside the final furlong, and Gordon Lord Byron was then ridden to the front, keeping on well in the closing stages to score by half a length. Sovereign Debt filled the runner-up spot for the fourth time in-a-row, and he was returned a 7/2 joint-favourite under Chris Hayes for Dandy Nicholls. Toscanini (8/1) completed the placings a further length and a quarter back in third under Shane Foley for Mick Halford. Dick Whittington was the other joint-favourite, and he finished a disappointing seventh under Ryan Moore for Aidan O'Brien. Tom Hogan said afterwards: "I thought if he was right he was well capable of beating those. I didn't think there was a Group 1 horse in against him, and on his day he's still a Group 1 horse. In his work he showed that he was as good as ever. "He's had life long problems with allergies, and in the spring we thought we were losing the battle. He'll probably come back for a Group 3 here in August, and he'll go back to Haydock. "If we get invites, he may go on his travels again!" Paddy Power go 16/1 (from 20's) about Gordon Lord Byron for the Haydock Sprint Cup in September. Additional reporting by Alan Magee
