Despite drifting in the market Dragon Pulse got up in the last 100 yards to defeat long-time leader Ellell Duke in the six furlong juvenile maiden to get favourite backers off to a good start at rain-soaked Leopardstown.
The winner trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Fran Berry stepped up on his encouraging runner-up finish on debut at the Curragh in June. He was returned at 7/4 having opened at 5/4.
Ellell Duke ran a game race in defeat for trainer Seamus Fahey to finish a length behind the winner at 6/1, backed in from 10s, while outsider Disagree stayed on well to take third three lengths back at 25/1.
Jessica Harrington was full of praise for her colt. She said: “It’s great to get that done. Fran said he did it well.
“He said the other horse [Ellell Duke] was hanging out on him and intimidating him a bit.
“I’m delighted as it’s the first winner for the owner [Tan Kai Chah] who is Singapore based.
“He was put in touch with me by Jim Ryan who broke the horse and pre-trained him.
“We’ll sit down and have a look at what’s coming up.
“He’ll definitely get seven furlongs. We were thinking beforehand that he would need seven furlongs.
“He seemed to go on that ground.”
Tommy Stack’s unraced Group 1 National Stakes entrant Van Rooney was subject of support from 9/1 to 6/1. He kept on in the final furlong to finish fifth.
Michael Graham
