Joe Eile (red stripes) dead-heats with Bubbly Bellini (cheek-pieces) on far side© Photo Healy Racing
The Follow Navan On Facebook Handicap provided a dramatic finish with the judge unable to separate Joe Eile and Bubbly Bellini in this near six-furlong contest.
Joe Eile appeared sure to score when cruising to the front early in the final furlong under Colin Keane.
However Ger Lyons’ charge didn’t find much under pressure and was soon challenged by a number of rivals.
There was a near line of four horses as the winning post approached, and Bubbly Bellini got up near the far rail to gain a share of the spoils. Curly Wee finished strongly to be just a short-head away in third, with Strait Of Zanzibar only a nose further back in fourth.
Bubbly Bellini’s trainer Ado McGuinness said, “He’s going for the Paddy Power Sprint (formerly the Scurry Handicap) on Derby day. My horses have been a bit under the weather but that’s a good result and hopefully there’ll be a bit of rain at the Curragh!”
Lyons also has the same Curragh race in mind for Joe Eile saying, “He’s a real good rider, and that’s a real honest horse but he gets to the front and pulls up.”
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
