Bondage has first all wrapped up Bondage proved too much for his rivals when running out a convincing winner of the opening 1m6f handicap at Ballinrobe. Emmet McNamara sent his mount on turning for home and Gordon Elliott's charge galloped on strongly to score by four lengths from Lucky Spring. The runner-up had proved popular after getting in as a reserve, backed from 9/2 into 2/1 favourite, but failed to pick up in the straight after racing wide. "He was entitled to win on his English mark. He's taken a while to acclimatise," said Aidan O'Ryan, who was representing Elliott. "Hopefully he may go in again if the handicapper is not too hard on him." O'Ryan also revealed that McNamara has been riding out in Elliott's since just after Cheltenham.
