The Organ Grinder & Chris Hayes see off Keyword & Billy Lee© Photo Healy Racing
The Organ Grinder justified odds-on favouritism as he took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Maiden under Chris Hayes for Kevin Prendergast.
The son of Footstepsinthesand finished third on his debut at the Curragh last month behind Michaelmas and he again occupied that position on his next outing, behind the Royal Ascot bound Stubbs at Navan.
His first two efforts came over five furlongs and stepped up to seven this evening, he was sent off the 4/11 favourite to see off his five rivals.
Having raced in fifth in the early stages, he went fourth entering the straight and was pushed along in third from two furlongs out.
He came with his challenge from the furlong pole and despite, edging a little to the right (impeding the third placed Home School , he soon hit the front and stayed on best close home to score by three parts of a length.
David Wachman & Billy Lee finished second in the opener with Pearl Earing and they had to settle for the runner-up spot again, this time with the 16/1 shot Keyword
Chris Hayes said afterwards: "He didn’t enjoy the ground. It was a bit of a messy race. One horse who was up with the pace stopped quickly and a few of us had to go around him."
A stewards enquiry was called shortly after the race, but no changes were made to the finishing positions.
The winner, who cost €26,000 at Goffs last year, holds an entry in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in August.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
