Montefeltro is driven out by Robert Tart to beat Marchese Marconi (white face), Call Me Bubbles (grey) & Majenta (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Montefeltro one of two UK trained runners in thirty strong field, landed the Tote Super Trifecta Irish Cesarewitch for trainer Brian Ellison with three pound claimer Robert Tart in the saddle.
The five-year-old chestnut son of Medicean won his last two starts at York and Yarmouth respectively, and having opened at 12/1 with Paddy Power last night, he was available at just 8/1 on-course, the price which he went off at.
Settled in mid-division, he was ridden over two furlongs out, responding well for pressure to move into fifth a furlong from home.
He came with his challenge inside the final furlong, and he hit the front in the last 100 yards, going on to score by a length and a half. Marchese Marconi ran on well to take second for Joseph and Aidan O’Brien at 12/1, while Call Me Bubbles was a nose back in third under Billy Lee for Willie Mullins at 14/1. Majenta who hit the front a furlong and a half from home, had to settle for fourth at the finish, a further neck back under Chris Hayes for Kevin Prendergast, while the 13/2 favourite Weather Watch finished a disappointing fifteenth under Connor King for Jessica Harrington.
Ellison, who trains in Malton, North Yorkshire, said afterwards: "After he won well at York the plan was to come here. He is a horse with a massive turn of foot, you just have to leave him alone.
"I walked the track here and the ground is absolutely beautiful, although this horse would probably be a bit better with a bit of a cut in the ground.
"He is a lovely big horse and hopefully next year he will make into a Plate (Northumberland Plate) horse.
"Robert (Tart) is twenty-one and he is very good in a waiting race, he has got great patience.
"This is my first winner on the flat in Ireland, I’ve had a winner over jumps, Batswing won for me at Punchestown (in 2002)."
The last UK trained winner of the Cesarewitch came back in 1998, when Sweetness Herself took the valuable handicap for trainer Mick Ryan.
After the race the Stewards gave Robert Tart a three day ban for careless riding, after the winner drifted to his left in the closing stages.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
