Badger Daly approaches the winning post© Photo Healy Racing
Ross Coakley poached a massive lead in the apprentice handicap on board Badger Daly and the pair weren’t reeled in as they scored a snug success.
Badger Daly soon led and Coakley had him up to 15 lengths clear approaching the halfway point of this mile race.
Heading for home Coakley started bustling him along at the two pole. Although the gap had been reduced by Carenza Badger Daly was still clear. The closers never came in the final furlong as Coakley didn’t have to get serious with his mount who won by 10 lengths at 12/1.
Successful handler Johnny Hagan said: “He is my second winner. God knows how many seconds we have had with different horses on the track. He won a maiden for us at Dundalk [April 2012] and he was placed a good few times last year and that was his first run today after a break. He was fresh and we thought he would go well. He won when we were training him on a hill at home but we gave that up because of drainage problems but we are using it again now and it is the right job for him.
“He doesn't do a whole lot under pressure and he gets swallowed up in his races, so we said we'd get to the front today and just keep going. He takes a pull and when he gets swallowed up he just throws in the towel.
“I train near the Beehive pub in Co Wicklow. We've had six or seven point-to-point winners and plenty of seconds over fences and hurdles but our only track wins have been on the flat. We've only the two in at the moment, but we have to come back in for the point-to-points.” Gold Falcon who was gambled on from 12/1 to 8/1 at the track, got up to pip 9/2 favourite Carenza for second, by a head.
This was Badger Daly’s second career victory on his 29th start.
The Stewards requested a report from J.R. Hagan, trainer as to the apparent improvement in form of Badger Daly, winner, as compared with its most recent run at Dundalk on 25th April, where he finished last of 14, beaten 13 lengths. The trainer reported that his horse is generally consistent without winning too often, but he had a number of runs in quick succession prior to the run in Dundalk on 25th April and had probably gone over the top. He then turned him out for five weeks grass and freshened him up, and he reported that his charge has ran well fresh in the past and he
attributed any improvement in form to being freshened up. Having considered the report, the Stewards noted the explanation offered.
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
