Lupie and Declan McDonogh in the lead© Photo Healy Racing
Lupie was the most experienced horse by far in the five furlong furlong juvenile maiden at Tipperary and he used his knowledge well to score for trainer Andrew Slattery.
After plenty of rain the going changed to good to yielding from the forecasted good to firm. This led to Tommy Stack’s Folk Law being taken out. Place terms were reduced as seven went to post.
Lupie had run in races won by the cream of the crop – Anthem Alexander, Cappella Sansevero, The Great War and Newsletter. He performed with merit in all five of his previous runs (being placed twice) yet went off at 8/1. Aidan O’Brien’s Rule The Waves was the 9/10 favourite here.
Lupie broke smartly from gate three under Declan McDonogh and was at the head of affairs throughout. Approaching the furlong pole it became evident that Rule The Waves wasn’t picking up in behind. Lupie sealed the win by half a length from Laharde (8/1) who stayed on eyecatchingly well on debut to close on the winner at the finish.
Rule The Waves finished fourth, beaten two and three quarter lengths.
Trainer Andrew Slattery was away at the sale. His brother Brian commented: "He's not a bad horse. We didn't look beyond today. He'll look for a Listed race in England hopefully on soft ground."
