Jan Van Eyck and Shane Foley beating Madam Mo© Photo Healy Racing
Claimed out of Ken Condon’s yard for 15,000 euro following an impressive win at Navan last month, Jan Van Eyck scored on his first start for new trainer Ger O’Leary in the Sile Seoige Judges Littlewoods Ireland Ladies Day Rated Race.
The Raven’s Pass gelding won by seven lengths at Navan and, while the margin here was a little more modest, he ultimately recorded a decisive victory. Madam Mo (11/2) set the pace and appeared to have her five rivals all on the stretch approaching the straight.
However the distress signals came up from Chris Hayes in the straight, and Shane Foley sent Jan Van Eyck (backed on track from 7/2 to 5/2) past her with just over a furlong to run.
The first-time blinkered winner kept on well to score by two lengths, with a yawning gap of eight and a half lengths back to Long Away in third.
O’Leary said, “It’s great when a plan comes together. We claimed him at Navan and he’s a nice little horse. We were a bit worried about the ground beforehand but he handled it well. He’s in again on Monday but we won’t ask him to go again.
“He’s schooled and was very accurate, so he’ll probably go for a maiden hurdle next.”
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
