Zuberi dominates Dundalk's claimer

Zuberi was an eye-catcher for many when runner-up in an apprentice maiden at Dundalk last month and he readily went one better in a maiden claimer at the same track.

The even-money favourite jumped away smartly from stall two and raced prominently just behind Rest Assured and Elusive Leona in the early stages of this seven furlong contest.

As the field swept into the home straight, Zuberi tanked into the lead on the inner. Colin Keane asked him for more with over a furlong to go and he kept up the gallop to take the spoils for trainer Ger Lyons. Laharde came home strongly in the final furlong to close to within a never nearer length at the finish at 13/2. Coreczka also put in good late work to get up for third at 25/1.

Ger Lyons said: "He's a nice horse with a rating of 84. If he's claimed fair enough and if not he'll go to the Horses In Training Sale. He did what you would expect a horse of his rating to do.

"He's had a wind op early in the year and if he didn't have that I wouldn't have put him in here to be claimed for 20 grand.

"I think there should be more of these races and as a trainer I'd love to see one every second week. I remember in my riding days there would be war if a horse was claimed until Martin Pipe started claiming horses all over the place, and then it became an accepted thing."

The winner was claimed for €20,000 and the runner-up was claimed back by connections for the same price.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee