Well backed Wizard sheds maiden tag

The Grey Wizard landed an early morning gamble to win Dundalk's Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Maiden today, scoring for trainer Joseph O'Brien and jockey Shane Crosse.

The son of Caravaggio finished third in a course Barrier Trial last September but the following month was twelfth of 16 in a Navan maiden and opened a 5/1 chance this morning. By 10am that early price had been cut to 6/4 and on the show, was further trimmed from 6/5 to even money, and in the race scored readily.

Jockey Crosse later said "he's a big son of Caravaggio and he gets on well around this place. He barriered well and matured well over the winter. That's a big tick in the box.

"He enjoyed the trip. He was drawn wide and was a bit green but I did my own thing on him and he's very straightforward."

Quotes from Michael Graham