Stag Night delivers on handicap debut

Stag Night was delivered with a perfectly timed run by Nathan Crosse to get up in the Hollywood Bets Handicap at the Curragh.

The Willie McCreery-trained gelding had won a maiden when last seen at Navan last July and was making his first start since on his handicap debut.

Crosse held his mount up before conjuring a strong run inside the final furlong to chase down Nordic Passage to record a head success at odds of 11/1.

“He's a grand horse, he's still a big shell of a horse,” said McCreery.

“I thought the handicapper was hard enough on him for winning a maiden but that's all hindsight now.

“He just likes that better ground and if the rain had come I wouldn't have run him.

“There are a few nice handicaps during the summer and I think he'll rattle off faster ground again.

“He did everything lovely, he was just a bit keen early on but it was his first time in a handicap and he'll learn a terrible lot from that.”