First run on the grass and Zegos delivers

On her fourth start and her first outside of maiden company Zegos Surprise (12/1) came good in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap at Naas under Chris Hayes.

The successful daughter of Zebedee may have dwelt slightly and raced in rear, but she made good headway under two furlongs out.

Ridden and strongly challenging the leader a furlong out, Zegos Surprise soon led, keeping on well and eased close home, comfortably beating Ablah and Lord Dudley by a length and a half and two and a quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Mick Mulvany said: “She ran a few times at Dundalk on a much faster surface and she handled that give in the ground. We have been working her at home on grass and we are probably ahead of the game a bit on other trainers.

“The experience of getting the grass under her feet compared to some other horses that are not working on it has helped her.

“Hopefully she’ll keep improving as she’s only learning to race. We’ll keep her to three-year-old handicaps and there is a race in Gowran in about ten days that she can go for.”

(AM & EM)