Saffronandblue in charge close home© Photo Healy Racing
Saffronandblue supplemented Leopardstown gains with victory in the Tote Fantasy Handicap at Sligo.
He went off 11/4 favourite for this extended 10-furlong contest and swept to the front approaching the straght.
He didn't look the most straightforward when he got into the lead, but soon asserted from the field.
Ronan Whelan kept him up to his work to score by a length and a-half from Not Just Any Eagle (9/1). Grey Fable (7/2 from much bigger in the morning) was just a short head off the runner-up.
Whelan said: "The Brassils have had a great week and I didn't want to be the weak link at the end of it, so it's great to top off a good week for them and me (Listed winner on Gather Ye Rosebuds at Goodwood yesterday).
"He had the profile of a horse on the up. I think he wasn't mad about conditions today and still got the job done.
"He hung a little turning in. In the middle part of the race I was on my own and he's quite an idle horse. He's still relatively lightly raced, so he was in front plenty long again today and just got a little bit lonely with me.
"Being by what he's by (Fast Company), and the two feels I've got off him, he could be an extremes (ground) specialist. It has dried out a bit today and he was able to go and win, so he's versatile but probably would be better with a shower of rain on top of that."
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
