Coltor rewards Killarney early birds

A first-time visor and a step up in trip saw Dermot Weld’s Coltor get his head in front in the median auction maiden over an extended mile and three in Killarney.

He couldn’t have been called an obvious winner as he was driven along in seventh approaching the straight.

The Free Eagle gelding picked up the chase, though, and made headway in the final two furlongs. He then stayed on to get within striking distance of Actuary at the business end.

He collared the leader inside the final furlong and won going away by two and a quarter lengths. His priced halved this morning (5/1 — 5/2) before he was returned at 11/4.

Actuary, the 11/8 favourite, had to make do with the runner-up prize. He was a couple of lengths in front of 22/1 chance Battle Of Benburb

Jockey Oisin Orr said: "He has been running well and the step up in trip helped him today. He raced a bit behind the bridle but when I asked him he picked up and did it nicely.

"It is nice to get a winner in these colours and that's the only horse he (Mischa Bucher) has in the yard."

As reported by Olivia Hamilton in a June edition of the Irish Field, Mischa Bucher, son of Moyglare Stud owner Eva and grandson of Walter Haefner, revived his grandfather's colours in recent years.

The royal, blue and white striped colours were originally registered in France in the 1950s for Walter Haefner's chasers and were also used by Haefner himself in his amateur riding days.

Coltor had finished fifth in a pair of maidens at Navan over a mile and 10 furlongs respectively.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes