Chicago Fireball defuses Ragga Bomb

Johnny Murtagh's Chicago Fireball (2/1) made all in the Bingo Loco After Racing Handicap at Leopardstown and fended off Ragga Bomb by a diminishing neck.

Just the four runners went to post for this contest as Paddy Twomey's Cill Mocheallog was ruled out due to an allergy.

Ragga Bomb chased the leader throughout, but wasn't making inroads a furlong and a-half out.

Chicago Fireball went for home with an increased advantage in the final furlong and he needed that buffer as Ragga Bomb came home strongly in the closing stages to get to within a neck. Sara Valentina the 11/10 favourite, raced in rear and didn't appear comfortable in the straight as she finished in a disappointing fourth.

Jockey Ben Coen said: “He’s a versatile horse in terms of ground.

“It was fairly straightforward. I probably asked him to pick up a bit sooner than I would have wanted, but I wasn’t expecting him to pick up as well as he did.

“He probably just got a bit lonely when we got close to the line.

“He’s an improving horse and I think we’ll have a lot of fun with him this year.”

Chicago Fireball built upon a victory in a Gowran Park maiden in May.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee