Alpha Capture and Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
Colin Keane produced 4/1jf Alpha Capture with a perfectly timed run to get up close home to win the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa Handicap on day two of the July festival.
A Listed winner as a juvenile for William Haggas, the son of Cotai Glory failed to add to that success in subsequent outings, dropping a long way in the handicap in the process.
Switched to Willie Mullins after finishing third of five at Newmarket in September, the four-year-old didn't show a great deal when beating only two horses home in a big field Curragh handicap on stable debut last month.
Clearly benefiting from that initial outing, the gelding was strong in the market here on just his second run for the champion National Hunt trainer.
Held up towards rear early on, Colin Keane moved closer over a furlong out, as Chavajod went in pursuit of race leader Expound
The former got to the Denis Hogan trained gelding inside the final 50 yards, maybe even edging ahead for a stride but Keane finished off best of all on the Mullins trained Alpha Capture getting up right on the line for a narrow head verdict.
Colin Keane said: "He stepped right up in trip the last day on his first run when Willie had nothing (head-gear) on him, so it was more a fact-finding mission. He was fresh and keen then but they put a hood and ring bit on him today dropping back in trip, which helped.
"They went a good gallop, he had a good draw so had cover and he seems to enjoy coming through horses. It is nice to get that done."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
