Gordon Dai Dai winning on debut at 20/1© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Dai Dai fairly galloped home to win Galway's bumper on debut at 20/1.
You couldn't have called him an obvious winner as he came under the whip in fifth climbing the approach to the straight.
However, he picked up the chase in third in the final furlong and came with a winning run 100 yards out to swamp the jostling Benbulben Boy and Shakespeare's Word
The French-bred won going away by two and three quarter lengths. Shakespeare's Word, the 2/1 favourite, was beaten into second. Part Time Farmer (3/1) got up for third by a short head from a weakening Benbulben Boy.
Trainer Liam Burke said: "I didn't know what to expect out of him to be honest as I had nothing done with him on grass and never had him away anywhere.
"He is a fair beast because he was very green. He was desperate green and he (Tom Feeney) said he had to let him go a bit because he didn't know what was going on.
"Any horse that'll run to the line here isn't a bad one. He has plenty of size, is a very honest horse but I didn't know what to expect today.
"That's the owner's (William MacDonald) second bumper winner here recently and he has been lucky for me. In fairness he is a long time sitting on these horses since they were yearlings, so it is great to get winners for him as he is a great owner."
The Stewards interviewed Mr T. Feeney, rider of Gordon Dai Dai (FR), concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that Mr T. Feeney was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using his whip with excessive frequency and R10(3)(i) by using his whip without allowing his mount at least three strides to respond. Having taken his good previous record into consideration, the Stewards suspended Mr T. Feeney for two race days.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
