Maarek (noseband) beats Starspangledbanner© Photo Healy Racing
The market said that Maarek (11/2 this morning into 4s) was fancied on his first start since the middle of July in the Group 3 Newbridge 200 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh and he prevailed under Jamie Spencer for the Lisbunny Syndicate and trainer David Nagle.
Those that backed the Pivotal gelding wouldn't have held out much hope when their selection was under pressure towards the back with over a quarter of a mile left to race.
However the brilliantly consistent five-year-old got into top-gear to launch his challenge from over a furlong out and inside the last he got the better of the back to form Starspangledbanner by half a length. Well-backed favourite Fire Lily (7/2 this morning into 2/1) was 3rd.
Nagle said: "That's brilliant – super. He's in the Ayr Gold Cup but I think we'll give that a miss now.
"He's in at Ascot and he's in the l'Abbaye as well, whatever comes up softest.
"It would probably have to be very soft in France so we'll look at Ascot, there's a Group 2 on the 20th of October.
"That was hard enough to watch. I said to him (Spencer) to ride him with confidence but I didn't mean with that much confidence.
"We were a bit afraid that he might need the run as he had a month off.
"He's been brilliant for us. That's his seventh win and he's won a lot of prize-money." (GC & EM)
