O'Sullivan's Laytown plan comes together

Trainer Ross O'Sullivan's medium-term plan to keep Samrogue (3/1f) for Laytown's meeting today paid dividends, as she shrugged aside top weight to effortlessly win the Tote Guarantee On All Irish & UK Handicap.

Having her first run since landing a 23-runner handicap at Cork in July, regular rider Conor Hoban today eased down the filly in the closing stages, for a hard-held win over Teddy Boy

O'Sullivan explained "the plan after she won in Cork was to go for this race. It was six or seven weeks away but we didn't bother getting a race in between.

“She has very small feet, loves the quick surface and Conor said he was hacking everywhere. She's very straightforward to train and a bit of space in between her runs doesn't do her any harm.

"She got a good whack (11lb) off the handicapper the last day and I thought that might put the stop to her but it is great to get one more for her. She had been running against these horses in Dundalk and they are the same type of horses.

"It is great to get a first winner in Laytown, Yvonne Lavin owns her with Brendan Cooney and they are great owners to have. They have been around a long time."

Quotes from Michael Graham