Whiskey On The Hill (purple cap) beats Grey Fable (left) © Photo Healy Racing
Three trips to the West of Ireland within the last month and three wins as favourite for Whisky On The Hill with the hat-trick completed in the Abbey Hotel Handicap.
The Ribchester gelding, sent off 2/1 at the head of the market, was stepping up in trip after two wins at Sligo and tracked the leaders under Adam Caffrey. Pushed into second two furlongs out, the winner soon got past the front-running Grey Fable and had to be kept up to his work to foil that rival by a length. Handicap debutants Master Dunraven and Pinot Gris showed promise to fill the frame.
Caffrey was completing a double after winning the opener on Zero Fighter
“Adam gave him a great ride. He did it very easy actually and probably got there too soon,” said winning trainer Ado McGuinness.
“He's a nice horse and jumping will probably be the name of the game for him in time.
“He's going to go to the field in the morning, probably for ten days, and then we'll bring him back for the mile-and-a-half in Galway for three-year-olds.
“On softer ground you'll see a better horse again. I was very close to taking him out because I was a bit concerned about the ground this evening.
“He travelled very sweet today and he surprised me. I'm sure the jumps lads would like a horse like him and he could be sold now.
“He's had three quick runs and I was a bit concerned as he lost 15 kilo last week after Sligo and I was very worried. We had him back to a kilo below his weight today and we were delighted he'd put back on so much. He's tough.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
