Cardinal Palace impresses in Dundalk

Cardinal Palace (14/1) showed a devastating turn of foot to cut down Paene Magnus and win the extended mile and two handicap in Dundalk.

Paene Magnus, the 7/2 favourite, readily picked off Long Journey Home as the race unfolded coming to the two pole. Kevin Manning then hugged the rail on Jim Bolger’s charge as they set sail for home.

However, Cardinal Palace and Seamie Heffernan started to get into gear and flashed down the outside to hit the front with 200 yards to go. Nothing could go with them as they hit the line a length and a half to the good over the favourite.

Seamie Heffernan said: “John (Murphy) said he was a nice horse and he was very fit. He fancied him to run very well.

“He told me to ride him like a good horse wherever he was comfortable. He won well in the end and he got the trip well.”

Cardinal Palace shed his maiden tag in Bellewstown and then was ninth in the Shergar Cup Classic Handicap at Ascot.

The winner wasn’t fancied by Tote patrons as he paid €21.20 for a win and €6.60 for a place.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson