Laugh A Minute, near side, catches Stag Night © Photo Healy Racing
Laugh A Minute gunned down Stag Night close home in the Naas Racecourse Centenary Year Handicap over an extended five furlongs.
In-form Stag Night showed serious pace to have the bulk of his rivals hard at work approaching the final furlong.
He was still boxing on inside the final furlong, however, he really needed the line in the closing stages especially when Laugh A Minute came to join him on the inner.
The latter finished the stronger to score by a neck at 10/1 under Ronan Whelan from the 5/2 favourite who, in effect, was racing off 14lb higher than his Cork victory last month as he went up 4lb and had a 10lb claimer on board that day.
Backers of Apache Outlaw a stablemate of Laugh A Minute, drew an each-way dividend from the third placer (12/1).
McGuinness said: “He wasn’t winning out of turn! He’s been very consistent. I thought the ground might have gone for him today, but it’s just beautiful ground.
“We’ve been running him over five but he’s a better horse over six. He stays at it well and long-term he’ll probably end up down in the west (Galway Festival) for the seven (furlong handicap) on the Sunday.
“He’s been a great servant and it’s great to get his head in front for all the boys. There is a huge crowd of them here today.
“I won’t be afraid to try seven with him at the right track where the horses are coming back to him.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
