Elusive Ridge keeps on best under Pat Smullen to beat Banna Boirche at a rainy Fairyhouse© Photo Healy Racing
Harry Rogers recorded his third winner since Saturday (had a double at Navan on Saturday) as his Elusive Ridge at 9/1 took the jogforjockeys.ie Race over seven furlongs with Pat Smullen in the saddle.
The 6yo son of Elusive City was dropping back down in class having run in the Listed Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown, the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes and the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (both at the Curragh) on his last three starts.
He was soundly beaten on in all three of those race but before that he had run nine times on the all-weather at Dundalk notching up three wins in-a-row at the Co Louth venue in December.
Back to his own class this evening, he raced in second for much of the contest behind the front running 11/4 favourite Banna Boirche
He was ridden with two furlongs left to race but he got to the front a furlong and a half from home and kept on well under pressure from there to win by half a length.
Banna Boirche battled on gamely to take second under Shane Foley for Mick Halford while Seanie was a further half a length back in third for Fergal Lynch and David Marnane at 7/2.
Winning trainer Harry Rogers said afterwards: "It's amazing that the ground is not too bad. He got away with it here. He was very sore after the Curragh as top of the ground there is very different to Dundalk.
"He is entered again tomorrow (7:25 at Leopardstown) and I’ll see how he is in the morning but I doubt he’ll run. Smullen was very good on him."
After the race the Stewards changed to going description to soft (from good to yielding) after persistent rain at the Co Meath course.
Donal Murphy & Michael Graham
