Sportinthepark (Sean Flanagan) leads over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Sportinthepark completed a 21/1 double at Galway for trainer Noel Meade when putting in a fine round of jumping to take the SANSERV Rated Novice Chase.
The Walk In The Park gelding, successful in a Wexford maiden hurdle last year and runner-up last time over fences at the Listowel Festival, made all the running and asserted soon after the last.
Sean Flanagan ’s mount kept on strongly inside the final furlong for an easy eight and a half lengths winning margin over Sea Music with evens favourite Will Do over four lengths further back in third.
Meade said of his 9/2 winner, "We paid a lot of money for him after he finished second in a point-to-point but we didn't see the horse that we're now seeing. Since he came in this season he is a different horse and while I know fences have changed him, anything he is doing he is doing well.
"He is a huge big horse so maybe we did too much with him too quick. We were worried about coming back in trip but maybe that trip is right and riding him that way is right.
"He'll need a few weeks now but we'll give him an entry in a graded race and he will go on soft ground."
Meade was on the mark earlier with juvenile hurdler Messerschmitt who was ridden to a 3/1 victory by Donagh Meyler.
Quotes by Tom Weekes
