English thinks Mokhalad can go much further

The commentator went with the chestnut in the dark and green colours, with the cheek-pieces, Bien Chase As it turned out it was the chestnut in the dark and green silks without the cheek-pieces, Mokhalad that gained the day in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Handicap at Dundalk.

Damian English 's Dubawi gelding has been threatening to get off the mark for quite some time and it came together for him here on start ten.

With Rory Cleary up, the 10/1 scorer got home by a head from Guanabara Bay (a slow starter and fast finisher).

"He's a lovely horse. We picked him up in July and it's just taken us a bit of time to figure him out," said English.

"We tried him over various trips to figure out what his best trip was. Rory rode him work here last Friday and said 'seven here next week.' Credit to him as he said 'I can't see him being beaten next Friday.' He was right again.

"He has plenty of ability and he will be better on the grass. He's possibly the best horse I've ever trained — possibly.

"He does everything right at home. He was a burster coming from England and I love buying bursters as we have a system that seems to work for them.

"It's all confidence with a burster. It doesn't matter about fitness, or having them ready, it's all about growing their confidence and when they realise they aren't going to burst anymore you don't know what they are capable of doing.

"In my opinion he's the best horse I've ever had but he's got to go and prove it now. He'll have two or three more runs here and then I'll put him away for the grass."

(GC & EM)