A fine shot of Toufan Express galloping to victory at Laytown© Photo Healy Racing
Second here last year, that great old campaigner Toufan Express credited owner Sean Gallagher and jockey Ian Brennan with their first successes at Laytown when successful in the Neptune Claiming Race.
In this seven furlong contest, it appeared as if Johnny Murtagh had delivered Like Magic with pin-point precision down the inner.
However, Toufan Express was going just as well on the outside and the eleven-year-old edged over to the rail inside the last before going on to score by a length and a quarter from the aforementioned Like Magic. There was three and three parts of a length back to the nicely-supported favourite, Pivotal Rock a winner here previously.
Local trainer Ado McGuinness handles Toufan Express and he said: "He's in again Sunday at Dundalk – if I have him – hopefully nobody claims him.
"He's been a super horse for us down the years.
"He had a lot of leg trouble and he's been to the beach a lot as it helps him – it keeps him sound.
"Ian gave him a great ride.
"The sand is a bit slower which helped as they didn't take him off his feet.
"I'm delighted for Sean Gallagher – that's his first winner at Laytown."
Meanwhile Brennan disclosed: "I was riding him at Dundalk in the winter and I thought he was finished, but Ado has done a marvellous job with him. He's an absolute gent of a horse – anyone could ride him." (GC & EM)
