Halford 1-2 as patience rewarded Michael Halford-saddled a 1-2 in the Tote Maiden with Cockalorum (10/1) leading home stable companion Pienta (16/1) by a neck in the penultimate event at Leopardstown. Much of the pre-race attention for this mile one contest focussed on the move for Stronghold (8s into 4s). Joseph O'Brien's charge eventually stayed on without threatening inside the last to take sixth position. On his first start since being gelded, and coming off a 139 day break, Cockalorum in the hands of Ross Coakley, did enough to hold off Pienta with Rory Cleary up. "He showed a bit early in the year and then I ran him in Listowel. The ground was very quick at that time so we gelded him and I was just waiting for a little ease in the ground," said Halford. "Any time there was a maiden it was good to firm. He doesn't need soft ground as you can see there but once he got that sort of ground it was fine. "We stuck a pair of cheek pieces on just to help him concentrate. It's great to get a winning bracket, and he's in the Horses In Training Sale at Goffs. "The second is a gorgeous big horse. I was disappointed with him at Fairyhouse where he got unbalanced and he'd a good run on the all-weather as well. "It's a shame to have to run the two of them in the one race but it's that time of the year and we didn't have much choice. We are running out of time and running out of patience." The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Freetown, trained by A.P.O'Brien, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be slightly lame post race. J.A. Heffernan, rider of Freetown, trained by A.P.O'Brien, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount stopped quickly. Mrs John Harrington, trainer of Minnie Haha (FR), reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that her charge found the ground a bit quick. (AM & EM)
