See also » Duke-delighted-to-win-ODonovans-race
They tell you Curragh trainers need to get winners at the Curragh but this is a really special one,. Myself and Pat go back a long way and are really good friends so I was under a bit of pressure. I texted my mentor his mark on Wednesday and he texted back 'will he win?'. I replied 'yes Jim you're safe'. He's a smashing little horse and has run into three high-class two-year-olds. The horse that won the maiden here yesterday (Shogun) was behind him when he was third last time. He's not ground dependent and handles anywhere from five to seven. He has loads of pace. I won this last year and I've won three with his half-brother Focussed. Kevin was a huge help to me. He rode him in Listowel and said to me that one day I'd have to geld him and I wouldn't hang around. It's not that he was unruly but it just made a difference keeping him focused. This means an awful lot to me personally to win this race. Pat thoroughly merited the award and is one of the huge number of people behind the front-line who gets the front-line people to where they are. It tells a tale that he's 35 years with JS Bolger, he has a fair temperament! Brendan W Duke, trainer

An extended handicap for two yrs old only (90 = 9st 7lb)
Weights - Top weight in the original handicap; shall not be less than 9st 7lb
Penalties - (after calculation of the handicap) A winner shall carry 5lb extra; for each race won. Any horse rated above 90 shall initially be treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 9st 7lb. Subsequently, the excess over 90 in any rating shall be added to the weight allotted to that horse.