Go Kart shows her speed at Down Royal

The Patrick Prendergast trained Go Kart got off the mark on the third time of asking as she claimed the opener at Down Royal, the five furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Second on her debut at Dundalk last month the daughter of Intense Focus finished a close-up third to Moral High Ground at Navan last Saturday.

Turned out again quickly she was sent off a 5/2 chance under Robbie Downey in the colours of John O'Connor.

Settled behind the leaders she was ridden to challenge on the outer with less than two furlongs to race.

She swept through to lead from the furlong pole and kept on well in the closing stages to score by two and a quarter lengths. Kotonic (4/1), who attempted to make all, had to settle for second under Shane Kelly for Michael O'Callaghan while Jenniechild (20/1 this morning and returned 11/1) was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Chris Hayes for Peter Fahey.

The Andrew Heffernan trained Anania was sent off the 7/4 favourite and she finished another length and a half back in fourth under Emmet McNamara.

Patrick Prendergast said afterwards: "The drop back in trip suited. She had them beaten in Navan after five furlongs. I had to get her out soon as there aren't many five furlong races left and she is a quick ground filly.

"She's very fast and she is a home bred. She was broken at Ballylinch Stud. She's still quite immature but shows great lick. I thought she would have won in Navan but it was definitely 80 yards too much.

"She is still learning and could go to Dundalk as she has shown she can handle it."

Robbie Downey added: "She did it very well. They went a good gallop in front and she stayed on."

STEWARDS REPORT

The Stewards enquired into an incidents inside the final one and a half furlongs involving Anania, ridden by E.J. McNamara, placed fourth, Jenniechild, ridden by C.D. Hayes, placed third and Kotonic, ridden by S.B. Kelly, placed second, where it appeared that Kotonic failed to keep a straight course and may have caused some interference in so doing. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that S.B.Kelly was in breach of Rule 214 by causing interference having failed to correct his mount from drifting and consequently severely cautioned him having taken his good previous record into consideration.

Additional reporting by Michael Graham