Vision First earned himself a tilt at the Listed Rochestown Stakes at Leopardstown when belying a lack of market confidence in the featured EBF 2yo Race at Cork on Saturday.
The Royal Academy colt drifted from 6/4 to 3/1 on-course, as $4m Ballydoyle newcomer Warhol was supported from 1/1 down to 4/6, but on this occasion the punters got it badly wrong.
Pat Smullen bounced his mount of the stalls and the pair were never in any danger, eventually denying the market leader by a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths. 'The ground is pretty testing for two year-olds out there, so that was a good performance,' opined the winning rider.
Pat Shanahan picked up a winning spare ride in the opening Tattersalls Maiden, after Fran Berry cried off the mount on Glenmore Boy with a stomach upset. Pat Morris's gelding showed the benefit of last week's debut at the Curragh, hitting the front inside the final furlong and being driven out for a hard-fought 1/2 length verdict over the staying-on Lady's Mantle.
Shanahan quickly helped himself to a double as Mainly Mine put up a good effort to defy top weight in the Mitchelstown Cheese Handicap. The Lahib filly took up the running at an early stage, and had enough in reserve to comfortably repel the challenges of Commoya and Eagle Sep.
Gary Hutchinson had his 7lb claim reduced to 5lb when partnering his fifteenth winner, 20/1 shot Mise Rafturai, in the Galtee Meats Handicap Hurdle, where favourite High Prospect was an early casualty.
'This horse has only really come to himself in the last ten days or so,' said trainer Paul Nolan. 'He suffered from a skin infection during the winter, and there should hopefully be more improvement in him.'
