Moss Tucker © Photo Healy Racing
The stalls were back in use for the St. Peter's Dunboyne GAA Handicap but the outcome was the same with a Ken Condon-trained sprinter, in this case 5/1 chance Moss Tucker coming out on top.
The Curragh trainer had saddled a one-two in the preceding contest where a stalls malfunction had resulted in that race being started by flag. Here, Joey Sheridan had his mount quickly into stride and the Excelebration gelding was in the front rank throughout. He shrugged off the attentions of 5/4 favourite Blind Beggar at the furlong marker and kept on well to hold the late thrust of Big Gossey by a neck, with the market leader left a further three parts of a length away in third.
After two wins at Tipperary last term, this was a third career success for the powerfully-built four-year-old.
Condon said: "He’s very reliable. The form of his last race has been franked but you know what you are going to get with him.
“He’s quite versatile in terms of ground and is a fine big horse. He’d quite a busy time of it last year but he just kept improving.
“That was a good performance off 91 and we can look at the Premier Handicaps now over five and six. He’s a lovely horse to have and a homebred for Donal Spring.
“Joey is riding a lot of work for us this year and it’s nice for him to get that. He had a few suspensions this year and is starting to get going now.”
Quotes form Alan Magee
