Absolutely Fantastic Festival for De Bromhead

The Christy Lucey Transport Ltd Flat Race, drew the curtain on the Killarney July Festival for 2011, with the newcomer Absolutelyfantastic (10/3) coming home an good two and a half lengths winner under David Roche.

Running in the colours of the Alan & Ann Potts Partnership for trainer Henry De Bromhead, the gelding was the third winner of the four day Festival, for the trainer/owner combination, having scored with Sizing Symphony on Monday and Fort George on Tuesday.

Always prominent, off a slow gallop, the son of Alhaarth, was travelling well in the early straight before being pushed along over two furlongs out. He challenged the long time leader Dr Tommy a furlong from home and soon led, he stayed on well to score comfortably from there. Maller Tree who finished second in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown Festival in May, was sent off the 2/1 favourite for Jessica & Kate Harrington but could only manage a disappointing third, a total of five lengths behind the winner.

Afterwards, winning trainer Henry De Bromhead said: "Alan (Alan Potts) said after Sizing Europe won the Greatwood Hurdle, all I kept saying was absolutely fantastic. So when we got a good one they decided to call him that.

"Davy (winning jockey David Roche) gave him a great ride. He rode him to the letter of our instructions.

"He was probably a bit green, but he went away nicely in the end.

"I'm not to keen to stick around in bumpers with him and he is deadly to jump, so he will probably go over hurdles next."

Donal Murphy