Happy Dreams (green with white sleeves) just gets the better of Clonbury Bridge (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Happy Dreams justified favouritism in the Sign Up Today To GavinLynchRacing.com Novice Handicap Chase, scoring under a patient Cathal Landers ride.
Owned and trained by Michael McDonagh, the five-year-old son of Zanzibari was successful at Limerick last month and was well-fancied to follow-up this afternoon.
Available for a time at 13/2, the bay victor eventually went off the 4/1 favourite and raced mainly in mid-division under Landers, making a slight mistake at the second.
Still behind a wall of horses approaching two out, where he was slightly hampered, he improved into a closer fifth before the last, where he made a mistake.
Soon ridden, he powered up the run-in and got to the front inside the final 100 yards, going on to score by half-a-length.
.Clonbury Bridge (14/1), who was toward the head of affairs throughout, ultimately had to settle for second under Luke Dempsey for his father Philip, while Solomon Lane (16/1) was another three lengths away in third.
"He was still a bit novicey today and I was kind of on my head the whole way. We went a good gallop on ground that is drying out," Landers said.
"Luckily enough the line came in time for me. He's still very green and novicey and missed the last.
"I felt they got racing very early and I said I'd give him a chance."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards interviewed L.P. Dempsey, rider of Clonbury Bridge concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In his evidence, L.P. Dempsey accepted that he had breached the whip guidelines in relation to frequency. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that L.P. Dempsey was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using his whip with excessive frequency. Having taken his previous record into consideration, the Stewards suspended L.P. Dempsey for four racedays.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Fameaftertheglory (GB), trained by Gavin Cromwell, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
