Joyce repays Chavajod owner with convincing win

Chavajod added to a win at Leopardstown back in May when again scoring over a mile for Denis Coakley in the Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Handicap.

The five-year-old grey gelding was sent to the front over a furlong out by Wesley Joyce and kept on really well in the closing stages to beat 4/1 joint favourites Pierre Lapin and Darkdeserthighway by two and a quarter lengths and a length and three quarters.

The victory was especially meaningful for Joyce who has recovered really well this year from serious injury.

Coakley explained, “It's a special story behind this because Joseph Costello, who is one of the owners ,was the doctor on duty at Galway the day Wesley got injured and he looked after him in hospital when he was in ICU.

“I freshened him up after he ran the last time. Ross was home last week and I entered him at one minute to 12 last Thursday as an afterthought. I said to Ross 'is he okay to run' and he said 'yeah'.

“He was very good today and the freshness did well for him.”

Quotes by Gary Carson