Mayo For Sam winning connections. © Photo Healy Racing
Runner-up here on her penultimate start, before disappointing at Limerick last time, Mayo For Sam came good at the eighth time of asking when keeping on strongly to win the concluding Cusack Hotel Group Family Raceday July 13th Handicap at Navan.
Having just her fourth run for trainer Adrian McGuinness, the daughter of Vocalised was prominent from the off, tracking leader Slaney Tide in a close second.
Pushed along to lead over a furlong out, the four-year-old stayed on strongly under Adam Caffrey(who saw his claim reduced) to record an easy three-and-a-half-length success.
Available at 22/1 in the morning, the winner was well supported into a starting price of 7/1jf.
“That's his 5lb gone(Caffrey claim), he gave it a great ride as we were drawn wide,” said McGuinness.
“I suppose Mayo had to win something at some stage!
“They are a bunch of Mayo lads that have her and they are a great bunch of lads. They stuck with her as she was a little but frustrating starting off. We ran her on tacky ground and she didn't handle it.
“She's run well on her last two runs and ran a cracker here the last day. We were drawn a little wide and I just told Adam to jump out and get forward, try to ride a race on her and dictate it as best you can. She toughed it out well.
“She's in at Leopardstown on Thursday and more than likely she'll rock up again if she gets in.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
