Cape City Boy and Finian Maguire © Photo Healy Racing
Cape City Boy galloped on strongly in the closing stages to run out a convincing winner of the concluding bumper at Down Royal this afternoon.
'Shark' Hanlon's charge cut out the early running in the two-mile contest but was headed after a couple of furlongs as even-money favourite The West's Awake pulled his way into the lead.
That rival looked to be going best in the lead coming down the hill in the straight but failed to pick up when tackled by Cape City Boy at the two furlong pole.
Finny Maguire, wearing Barry Connell's colours, soon hit the front on the 4/1 shot and he stormed clear inside the final furlong for an eight length success.
The winner had performed with plenty of promise on his debut when just beaten half a length by Sir Will at Naas.
"He's 17 hands, he's a huge big baby. I might give him one more run," said Hanlon.
"He was probably unlucky in Naas. I sold him to Barry after that run. He was green there and hasn't galloped much on grass.
"He did it well and there was 20 lengths back to the third. He has a big future and he's a chaser down the road in a couple of years."
(Additional reporting by Michael Graham)
