KATIYMANN and Ronan Whelan (near side) beat Verhoyen to win the Irish Injured Jockeys Association Handicap © Photo Healy Racing
Michae Halford’s Katiymann registered a fifth career success in the featured Irish Injured Jockeys Association Handicap at Fairyhouse. Benefitting from some clemency on the part of the handicapper, the Shamardal gelding collared long-time leader Verhoyen inside the final furlong and ran on to score by half a length in the hands of Ronan Whelan.
The first two were clear of the other three runners, with War Hero in third and the 2/1 favourite Geological was fourth. The 4/1 winner was initiating an across the card double for the winning trainer, as Defining Battle landed the spoils at Killarney just minutes later.
“He's been a great servant and that's the way he likes to be ridden. A small field, drop him out and he switches off,” said Halford.
“It opened like the Red Sea for him, he hand't enough petrol to go around them anyway.
“He's often run well off a break before. We thought he looked a bit chubby in himself and thought he might need it.
“Ronan said he just got to the line and gave a heave with him. It's nice to win another one with him.
“He had a little wind-op and that probably helped him a little bit as well, I'd say it was marginal enough but every little helps.
“He's fierce genuine but you just have to ride him that way and he often runs into traffic problems in bigger fields. The small field was ideal for him.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
