Bid For Chester (centre) and Wesley Joyce© Photo Healy Racing
Bid For Chester confirmed the promise of his reappearance in the Irish Racing Writers Madrid Handicap at Naas last month when taking the Download The New Tote App Rated Race at the Curragh.
The son of Ribchester won a Navan nursery for Kells trainer Mick Mulvany last year and was sent off a 4/1 chance here following that second at Naas last time.
The well-backed 11/4 favourite Heavenly Being made most of the running but Bid For Chester got on top in the final 150 yards.
Wesley Joyce ’s mount kept on well to score by three quarters of a length from Pansy Poe who finished well to deny Heavenly Being the runner-up spot.
The winners' stablemate Lia Fail was providing Terry Casey with his first ride and eventually finished seventh after losing a little ground from stalls and racing alone towards the far side for much of the five-furlong sprint.
Mulvany said, "He's a very genuine little horse. The syndicate are local to me and I'm delighted for them.
“He ran well in he Madrid, I actually thought we had a bit in hand there but he ran into one.
“We took a chance today coming back in trip. If I didn't bring him here I had to bring him somewhere else to work him so I said I'd run for the money and get a pipe opener.
“He'll probably go to Navan for the Listed race (Committed Stakes) next Saturday, all going well.
“He's been tipping away in big pots and we were a little bit unlucky in one of the big sales races at the backend of the year, we just didn't get a clear run. Hopefully it's onwards and upwards with him.”
Quotes by Gary Carson
