Cheers Buddy, third right, gets up under Chris Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Handler Lee Smyth came off the cold list when Cheers Buddy grabbed the winners’ share in Division 1 of the mile handicap at Dundalk.
The five-year-old last visited the winners’ enclosure at the end of August in Hamilton, Scotland, when trained by Keith Dalgleish. This was his fourth run in Dundalk since switching to Lee Smyth.
“The owner Robert Reid is Scottish and he’s got five horses with me. He’s a great supporter of the yard,” Lee Smyth reported.
“He’s a very genuine horse and never misses a beat. I think the key is to get him into the stalls last and out first. The last run here he got a bit upset in the stalls and missed the break.
“I’m a bit disappointed for Rory Cleary who is suspended tonight, but I’m also delighted for Chris Hayes who has been lucky for me.
“I’ll probably freshen him up now and come back here in two or three weeks.”
The 12/1 shot was brought through to challenge by Hayes with a furlong and a half to race and he was kept up to his work to deny 9/4 favourite Pyromaniac (who had beaten Cheers Buddy here on November 1st) by half a length.
There was a further length back to Tsar Paul (22/1) who kept on for third with Fran Berry in the plate.
This was Smyth’s first winner for 91 runners or 679 days.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
