Whelan pushes right Pincode buttons

Pincode gave jockey Ronan Whelan everything he had in the tank to fend off Sikandar and Nova in Bellewstown's mile and a half maiden.

The three-year-old colt soon led but was tracked by the aforementioned duo throughout the race.

As he came off the elbow into the home straight, Whelan got busy scrubbing him along as Sikandar tried to get on terms.

The latter drew alongside with a furlong and a half to go but Pincode kept finding plenty for pressure. Inside the final furlong and it was Nova's turn to come with his challenge down the outside but it was Pincode who hit the line first to pay favourite backers who took the 6/4.

He had half a length in hand of Sikandar (20/1) who was a head in front of Nova (7/2).

Pincode's trainer Patrick Prendergast said: "We had been asking him to quicken but he's an out and out two-miler. He's in the July Sales and I don't see why he won't make a nice jump horse.

"I've got quite fond of him as he's very gutsy. He was weak and a nervous kind of horse but he's grown up."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee