Master Speaker gives Ado reason to celebrate

Master Speaker provided trainer Ado McGuinness with the ideal birthday present when taking the featured Tote Handicap on the concluding afternoon of the five-day Killarney July meeting.

The evergreen nine-year-old gelding was recording his fifth career win in this mile event, and his third since joining the Lusk handler last year.

The 8/1 chance, sporting the colours of Shamrock Thoroughbreds which includes former Flat handicapper Ciaran Kennelly, made good headway on the outer to lead a furlong out and drew clear for Chris Hayes to score by two and three quarter lengths. Yuften kept on to take the runner-up spot, with Tony The Gent another half a length away in third.

McGuinness said, “We are going to Galway with him. There was a good pot of money here (over 15,000 to the winner) and we said we’d come and have a whack at it. The horse is in great form and he worked well the other day.

“I didn’t enter him in the Galway Mile because I didn’t think he’d get into it, so he goes for the seven (furlongs) on the Sunday and he’ll run in the 0-90 earlier in the week.

“He’s been a great servant and has slipped down a bit. He’s run good solid races all year and deserved that. Chesney gave him a great ride.”