Presto and Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Presto maintained his two race unbeaten record with another taking win at Gowran today as the Oliver McKiernan trained gelding landed the concluding Racing At Gowran Park 21st September Maiden under jockey Shane Foley.
The Juddmonte Farms bred son of Cacique was picked up by McKiernan for just GBP12,000 in July 2018 and having made an impressive winning debut in a Cork Bumper last July, today showed great battling abilities when beating off 82 rated Party Playboy by a length and a half, with eight lengths to third-placed Rock Breaker
Trainer McKiernan later revealed he feared today's testing ground conditions, saying “we were borderline running him because of the ground, we thought it wasn't just the way he wants it and he wants really good ground.
“I thought it was a nice performance. We did a bit of work with him the other morning and Shane rode him so he knew him, he knew what his strengths and weaknesses might be.
“Down at the bottom of the hill I thought he had it all to do but he stayed on strong.
“He is just getting his act together and you probably wouldn't be running every couple of weeks, let him relax and settled and go back to himself.
“After the last day it took him a while to settle again after it but that was his first race so he was entitled to that.
“Where we go now I don't know we're just happy with today.”
When asked if the Irish Cesarewitch could be an option he added “if he got the ground he'd probably have a light weight in it.
“He's a grand big horse and you'd be surprised if he wasn't a horse to jump a hurdle. You'd have to think he would. He looks to have the toe.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
