Easy again for Satono as Kearney doubles up

The Richard O'Brien-trained Satono Chevalier posted another impressive victory at Dundalk this afternoon.

Having scored by six lengths at the venue last Friday the Invincible Spirit gelding went to post a 4/5 shot to follow up under a 7lb penalty in the second division of today's mile-and-a-half handicap.

It never looked in doubt as he cruised into the lead early in the straight, under a cool Jack Kearney, and he skipped clear inside the final furlong to score by five lengths.

It was a double on the card for Kearney, following the earlier victory of Dabana

O'Brien said: "He has absolutely turned inside out. I don't feel entirely certain as to why he has turned the corner to the extent that he has, but the trip seems to be suiting him really well and he is loving the surface.

"Physically, without doing anything, he seems to be much happier in himself. He would always have been a horse that tended to be a little bit on the stiff and the sore side.

"Everything seems to have come together for him in the last four or five weeks. He is making hay and we are delighted with him.

"He is a terrific young rider and I'm delighted to have made the connection with him. Hopefully, we will have another day or two.

"We'll see about turf, but there might be an interesting prize in England to maybe look at because travel and things like that wouldn't be any bother to this fella. Exactly (Lingfield or Newcastle), the surface is probably important to him.

"He has a pedigree that would suggest he could jump a hurdle, he has the size to do it but I'm not entirely certain it is the job for him."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)