The Ger Lyons trained Piri Wango defied top weight to maintain his 100% record in the [email protected] Handicap at Dundalk this evening, scoring narrowly under Johnny Murtagh.

Murtagh made all on the previous course winner, who eventually stayed on gamely to edge out Caprella at the line.

Afterwards Lyons said “you have to trust the judgement of the handicapper and he is never far wrong! I wasn't overly confident coming here and giving him a hard first first time out (this season). However we knew there was nothing for him for a few weeks so we could give him time to recover.”

“I had the Brittannia Handicap (at Royal Ascot) in mind for him and he may run in a trial for that in the meantime. He is a lovely horse for David (Spratt) and I said last year that he could be a Listed horse and he owes us nothing at the minute.”