Mateo Cruz, pink cap, the chief in Tipperary© Photo Healy Racing
Mateo Cruz was a second winner on the day for trainer Joseph O'Brien when forging on well in the opening juvenile auction maiden at Tipperary.
The 11/4 favourite showed plenty of boot to sweep into contention between horses coming to the final furlong of this sprint over the minimum trip.
He was ridden into the lead passing the furlong marker and strode home by a length and a half. Lightning Boltz was always to the fore, but couldn't respond when headed by Mateo Cruz and had to settle for second at 6/1. I Am Magnetic kept on to take third at 7/2 from 6/1. He was beaten two lengths by the winner.
Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “He was a little bit slowly away, but Shane (Crosse) said one thing about him is that he’s tough, he’s hardy and he’s genuine.
“He’s a lovely-looking horse and it’s a nice start for him, especially over that trip which I think is probably against him more than anything else. I think he will be better over six or even seven It was a decent run at the Curragh, and it entitled him probably to be good enough today.
“What he’ll do after this I don’t know — that’ll be up to Joseph and the owner — but it’s nice to get his head in front. I spoke to (his former trainer) Eddie Harty a couple of times about him and he always liked him.
“He’s got a nice bit of size about him, he’s a very relaxed horse and has done that well. Please God he’s got a nice future.”
This was Mateo Cruz's first outing for O'Brien having finished fourth on debut for Eddie Harty at the Curragh.
O'Brien's Zoffany's Delight took the nursery in Sligo earlier in the day.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
