Cape Of Approval justifies support

Early morning market support proved significant in the opening five furlong three-year-old maiden at Tipperary as the well-backed Cape Of Approval scored by half a length.

The 13/8 had been hovered up before racing and the son of Cape Cross went off 5/4 favourite for Tommy Stack and Wayne Lordan.

With a furlong to go there was a line of four horses in with a chance – Danziger on the rail who cut out the pace, Tammam Namoose and Via Ballycroy and Cape Of Approval, who raced on the outside and picked up well for Lordan.

Via Ballycroy took second at 2/1 for Mick Halford and Shane Foley and it was three parts of a length back to Danziger in third at 14/1 for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen.

Cape Of Approval was following up on a good run at the Curragh where he was beaten a neck by Alsium in a 15 runner six furlong maiden on 10 June.

Assistant trainer Fozzy Stack said: “He did it alright. He’s starting to get his act together. He was only broken last September and was very raw in his early days.

“Hopefully he’ll improve away now and he should be better next year. He’ll run next in a six furlong three-year-old handicap at Cork after Galway.”

There was a plunge on the Tote on the winner as he only returned at 1/5 there. Dixiedoodledandy was denied a gap in the latter stages of the race and finished a close-up fifth under Fran Berry.

Michael Graham (on course reporting by Thomas Weekes)