Alex Belardo up and running in Down Royal

Alex Belardo made the breakthrough in race five at Down Royal - The Molson Coors Beverage Company Handicap over an extended seven furlongs.

The three-year-old gelding was last seen finishing third in Musselburgh towards the end of August.

In this assignment, he tracked the leaders and made progress for Donagh O'Connor to lead a furlong down. He was resolute in the final furlong to come in by a length and three-parts at 7/1. I Bid You Ajou (7/2f) took the runner-up berth and he was two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Hijo De La Luna (15/2).

John McConnell said: "I suppose a lot of Belardo's like a bit of cut.

"I think we deserved it as much as he deserved it because he is a little bit tricky, but he put his best foot forward today. He put his head down when he needed to.

"Great to get the first win with him and I think there might be more with him next year.

"He's just a little bit of a baby and he's quite big and tall. Good to get the win this year and I think he is in during the week (at Bellewstown) and we'll see if he goes there.

"Look forward to him next year again.

"He ran well in Dundalk as a two-year-old, but we felt on his last run that he had had enough of it in terms of the surface. We always felt that the slow side of good would be better for him. We'll think about it, but he doesn't owe us anything now, so we might look after him."