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Pillow leaves it late under Dempsey

Pillow (nearest) comes to claim Aru Cha Cha Pillow (nearest) comes to claim Aru Cha Cha
© Photo Healy Racing

The Johnny Murtagh-trained Pillow got up in the last strides to claim victory in the House Of Fraser Nursery at Down Royal. Aru Cha Cha cut out the running in the seven-furlong contest and looked to have things wrapped up passing the furlong pole.

Luke Dempsey had been hard at work early in the straight on Pillow but the 2/1 favourite found top gear inside the final furlong and got up at the post for a short-head victory.

The winner has been runner-up on her first two starts and was far from disgraced when sixth in the competitive Tattersalls sales race at the Curragh last time.

"I thought the other one had got a bit of a run on me, but she kept at it well. She stayed every bit of the seven furlongs and I thought I was up at the line,” said the winning apprentice afterwards.

(Additional reporting by Michael Graham)

1st
2/1Fav
Tote €1.90 €1.02
2nd
shd
9/1
€1.70
3rd
4.25L
9/2
€1.60
4th
1.5L
7/1
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.