Weld fires in an across-the-card double Dermot Weld has had a lean time of late due to a virus in the yard but he had a welcome across-the-card double this evening as Zabalan won nicely in Roscommon. Less than an hour earlier, Eziyra showed her class in the Group Three Give Thanks Stakes at Cork. Plenty of horses held valid chances at the business end of this extended mile and a quarter handicap in Connacht but Zabalan arrived full of running on the outer in the final furlong. Leigh Roche guided him home by two and a quarter lengths at 10/1 from Pincheck (6/1). Gambled-on Elm Grove (25/1 in the morning to an SP of 7/1) rewarded each-way punters in third at 7/1. Leigh Roche said: "The bosses horses had a good end to Galway and a winner tonight at Cork and here so hopefully we'll have a better second half to the season. "He appreciated a bit of ease. I held him up as I felt they were going quick enough up front and gave him a chance to finish out his race. He did it well." Additional reporting by Alan Magee
