Duplication and Donnacha O'Brien prevail© Photo Healy Racing
The Qatar Racing Limited-owned, and Joseph O'Brien-trained Duplication sharpened up appreciably for his debut effort a fortnight back to take the opening New Year's Eve Greyhound Racing At Dundalk Maiden (Plus 10 Race).
One wouldn't have thought that a drop to five furlongs would have been ideal for the Donnacha O'Brien-ridden Duplication.
However, we got another demonstration of the benefit of a run to a two-year-old and the Requinto colt was never far away on this occasion.
A tail swisher he may be, but the 12/1 victor kept going well enough to hold the staying-on pair, Alfredo Arcano and Slumming Angel by a neck and a head.
Alfredo Arcano's cause certainly wasn't helped by the fact that he reared up leaving the stalls.
After training his first winner for Qatar, O'Brien said: "We expected him to run better than he did the first day but he was very green and came on a lot for the run.
"It's nice to have a winner in those colours, and he's the only one we have for them. There is a winners-of-one here in the next few weeks and that is an option."
The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined Guardia Svizzera trained by John M. Oxx, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
The Stewards received a request from John James Feane, trainer, to substitute the nominated rider M.A. Gallagher, with K.J. Manning, on Less Of That in Race 1 and P.J. Smullen, on Happy Company in Race 4.
The trainer stated that he had booked M.A. Gallagher through his agent as normal. He was subsequently notified by the rider this morning that he wouldn't be available to ride today.
Having considered the evidence, the Stewards allowed the requested substitutions and imposed a fine of €200 (€400 in total) on M.A. Gallagher for each breach of Rule 196 (v).
(AM & EM)
