Gone Platinum stylishly wins the bumper© Photo Healy Racing
Jockey Davy Roche must have enjoyed the race he rode on Gone Platinum as arrived on the scene in the bumper with a ‘double handful’.
Henry de Bromhead’s five-year-old gelding was still on the bridle inside the final furlong as he tracked 6/4 favourite Crofton Trail The pair eased by the favourite to win by a snug length and a quarter at 11/4.
Henry de Bromhead said: “He had a couple of nice runs in the autumn. We gave him a break and he’s come back much stronger.
“He’s got so many gears that you can ride him to come late. Davy loves riding horses like that though I have to admit my heart was in my mouth for a while.
“I’m not sure what we’ll do now. He could go for a winners’ bumper, but he jumps deadly and we may go straight over hurdles. The owner (John Lenihan) would love to have a horse to run at Galway.” Fill Your Hands stayed on for third without ever getting on terms with the front two. He was a 4/1 chance. He was beaten two and a half lengths by the winner.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee