Cheers Buddy is driven out by Daniel Redmond to beat Flaring Forth and Gold Falcon © Photo Healy Racing
Cheers Buddy recorded his sixth career win, and his fourth at Dundalk, as he took the Dundalk Stadium Racecourse Of The Year Apprentice Handicap under Daniel Redmond (third career win) for trainer Lee Smyth.
The six-year-old son of Acclamation, who was having his eleventh start at Dundalk since November, was sent off a 16/1 chance, having drifted from his morning price of 12/1.
Drawn on the rail in stall one, the victorious bay raced in mid-division for much of the contest, and he travelled strongly entering the straight.
He was ridden along over a furlong out, and he responded well for pressure hitting the front with less than a furlong to race before going on to score by a length and a quarter. Flaring Forth ran well to finish second under Shane Kelly for Mark Fahey at 12/1, while Gold Falcon (16/1) was a short head back in third under Colin Keane for Adrian McGuinness. Six Silver Lane who won on his last start over the course and distance, went off the 11/4 favourite under Leigh Roche for Johnny Feane, but he could only manage a disappointing seventh.
Lee Smyth said afterwards: “He is definitely a Dundalk horse, that's for sure.
"He was unlucky the last day when he reared up in the stalls, I would have had my house on him that day. We wanted him loaded as late as possible today.
"I told Daniel that if this horse was on his game it would feel like he was on a Group One horse turning in.
"The seven pound claim made a lot of difference and he did everything right today.
He might win again with Daniel aboard.
"That's his third win for me (won twice for Paul Hennessy and once for Keith Dalgliesh).
I’ve got twelve in training and he is definitely the stable star.
"I moved close to Down Royal racecourse last year."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
