Ken's foils gamble on Pal Tal

Ken's Sam's made the most of her chance, when getting in, after being listed as second reserve for the Kennedy's Bar, Dundalk Handicap. Shane Foley did the steering on Adrian Joyce's winner. Your Pal Tal was backed from 10/1 into 7/2 favourite at the track, but he was denied close home by half a length victor Ken's Sam's (7s into 6s).

"She has plenty of ability but she's just taken a while to come to hand. She's just been learning her job, but slow at that," said Joyce.

"She did that well. Dropping her in over six is probably the way to ride her. The horses she beat there would have been well handicapped.

"It's good for the owner (Thomas Kelly). He's a good supporter of mine and is from Lanesborough. I'm delighted for him as well.

"We might leave her for the grass now and give her a little break. Over a straight six she'd probably be alright."

Anastasia O'Brien, rider of Dont Have It Then (GB) trained by J.F. Levins, reported to the Clerk of Scales that her mount lost it's action in the back straight.

The Stewards enquired into the apparent improvement in form of Your Pal Tal (GB), trained by J.F. Levins, placed second compared with its recent form.

Evidence was heard from Garry O'Gorman, Senior Turf Club Flat Handicapper, who stated that Your Pal Tal (GB) ran off a rating of 70 here in Dundalk on November 18th, and has finished no better than 10th place and no closer than 8 lengths in 6 runs since, and consequently has dropped to a rating of 51, and today's performance represented a significant improvement in form.

Evidence was heard from the trainer concerned who stated that his stable has been out of form over the winter months, and his runners have just come back into form in recent weeks.

He said some of his horses suffered from ringworm over the winter, and this horse got a bad colic back in November, which set him back also.

He added that this horse doesn't winter well, and ran poorly over the winter months last year also, but he improves in the springtime.

He stated that Your Pal Tal (GB) had been drawn poorly on a number of his previous runs, and because he wasn't in sparkling form, he was generally slow away and failed to get competitive thereafter.

But tonight, from a good draw, and with the horse starting to show his old sparkle, it allowed him to jump well and be handy and all his best runs have been when he was able to run from the front of the field.

Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the explanation offered and took no further action.

(GC & EM)