Thief upstages Award at Cork

Lightening Thief (7s into 9/2) overturned 4/9 shot High Award by making all under Rory Cleary in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Race at Cork.

The once previously raced son of Acclamation was going to win from a fair bit out and he eventually prevailed by a convincing two lengths.

Willie McCreery has the 9/2 shot syndicated-out to a group of G.A.A. enthusiasts and he commented: "We're delighted with him as I felt he got no recognition for being second (to the very impressive Head Space at Naas) first time out. He had to do the donkey work that day.

"We'll get out tails and our bowler hats out now and see where we go (a reference to Royal Ascot). I thought he'd do about 59 seconds with the wind behind him there (stopped the clock at 58sec 46.80)."