Friendless Cullentry makes it two in-a-row

Despite being friendless in the market, Cullentry Royal recorded his second win under flat rules as he took the Bluegrass Horsefeeds Handicap under Danny Mullins for Gordon Elliott.

The Barry Connell owned five-year-old son of Royal Applause opened at 15/8 last night with Paddy Powers, opening on-course this evening at 7/2 before going off a 9/2 chance.

He beat Storm Away by half a length at Ballinrobe on his last start, finishing second on his two outings before that, at Killarney and Leopardstown respectively.

Having tracked the leaders, he came with his challenge, travelling well, from over two furlongs out.

He hit the front just over a furlong from home, staying on well under pressure close home to score by half a length at the line. Cebuano 9/2 this morning with Powers and 3/1 to 5/2 favourite on-course, kept on well on the outside from over a furlong out, but he couldn’t peg back the winner and he had to settle for second under Shane Foley for Mick Halford.

Gordon Elliott said afterwards: "He won well but he didn’t do a lot when he hit the front.

"We’ll give him a break now and we’ll look at staying handicaps later in the year.

"I’ll have to talk to Barry to see if he’ll go back over hurdles again."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham