Katchy Lady and Chris Hayes win from Vinson Massif © Photo Healy Racing
Katchy Lady proved too hot to handle as she made all for victory in the Proudstown Rated Race, giving Chris Hayes a quick double at Navan. Vinson Massif was sent off even-money favourite after drifting from 8/13 on course and having been as short as 1/2 before racing.
He couldn't peg back the Patrick Prendergast-trained trail-blazer, however, who repelled him by three-parts-of-a-length.
Hayes had kicked for home a furlong-and-a-half out on the 2/1 winner (from 3/1) and she soon had the market leader on the stretch.
He was tackled for second by the only other runner Scatty Cat before staying on inside the final furlong to press the winner close home.
“I read Joseph's post race comments after his horse won in Dundalk and he said he thought the horse would need six or seven furlongs. So we decided to make it a sharp five,” said Prendergast.
“She seems to like three-runner races as she broke her maiden in one in Tipperary last year. If we could get some black-type for her it would be great.”
It was confirmed after the race that Vinson Massif had lost a shoe on the way to the start.
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
