Ansgar lands a big prize at the Curragh

He may have been returned at 20/1 (33s this morning) but Ansgar didn't go completely un-backed for the Irish Field Handicap at the Curragh. A good servant to his connections already, the five-year-old ran out a convincing winner of the valuable mile contest under Rory Cleary.

Cleary, on his first winner since getting a nasty fall off Patty Paige at Leopardstown on June 13th (concussed on that occasion), always had Ansgar in a prominent position.

The Celtic Swing gelding was in front halfway before being asked to assert two furlongs out. The local runner stayed on well in the final furlong to come home two and a half lengths to the good from the favourite, Fortify

Winning trainer Sabrina Harty said: "He deserved that big-time as he's been a bit unlucky. He ran behind Trading Leather last time when he was clear at a stage. He'd dropped a bit in the weights which I was a bit surprised at as he never runs a bad race.

"Rory said he was wincing a bit the last day on the ground. It was probably a bit too firm for him then. He's suffered a bit with sore shins and bit and pieces in the past - he's a big horse.

"He did run a couple of times over hurdles but he was keen. He has a lot of speed and we'll probably keep him to the flat." (GC & EM)