Sovereign Debt well in credit at Curragh

Sovereign Debt galloped the opposition into the ground in coming home four and three quarter lengths clear in the Listed Celebration Stakes in the Curragh.

The mile trip at Headquarters proved right up his street as he rewarded his backers at 9/2.

He raced in second and tracked Fastnet Mist who led at a sedate pace. At the three pole Chris Hayes pushed his mount into the lead and the pair soon set sail for home.

Hayes had a look round with over a furlong to go and would have seen a three to four length lead on the pursuers. Nothing came to challenge as Sovereign Debt kept up the gallop for trainer David 'Dandy' Nicholls who is based in Thirsk, north Yorkshire.

There was a bunch finish for the minor placings with Flight Risk (11/2) grabbing second, a head in front of Fastnet Mist.

Chris Hayes said: "First time riding him was in Leopardstown the last day and Dandy told me to drop him in. Circumstances failed on us that day because they went so steady. I kind of recommended this race for him but again there was no pace.

"Dandy said to me 'do whatever you want'. I got a good lead into the straight. We were going so steady I thought that if I got one burst away I'd keep going. He won quite well.

"He feels like a good horse but he just needs them to run fast. He likes to come off a rattling fast pace but when you're in this kind of company you can do what you like on him."

Dandy Nicholls said: "He's had a lot of traffic problems in the past and I just told Chris to make up his own mind on how to ride him. He gave him a great ride and maybe that's the best way to ride him.

"I brought him over myself and he travelled over really well, ate up everything and he was so relaxed.

"He'll come back here again and deserves to go for all those races now. He'll go to Dubai at the end of the year."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee