Oriole, near side, just gets the better of Caulaincourt© Photo Healy Racing
Adam Caffrey sealed a Naas double when top-weight Oriole won a battle with Caulaincourt by a short-head in the apprentice handicap over an extended 10 furlongs.
Caffrey drove Oriole to the front a furlong and a-half out but certainly wasn't home yet as Jack Kearney delivered Caulaincourt with his challenge racing into the final furlong.
It was really nip tuck 100 yards out, but Oriole just inched ahead in the final strides to pick up the first prize.
The winner scored at 8/1 from the very easy-to-back runner-up who drifted from 12/1 to 25/1. Arch Enemy (5/2f) travelled well into contention, but his effort petered out in the final 150 yards and he finished adrift of the battle for first place. Out On Friday (8/1) completed the placings in fourth.
Trainer Ian Donoghue said: “We didn't have her long going to Galway, she shouldn't have really run there but the lads were down there on the beer for the week so wanted to run her.
“It was a bit of a fact-finding mission the first day, we dropped her in and 'Dusty' (Shane Foley) rode her. He loved her and said she'd gallop all day.
“A mile-and-two is her minimum and we can definitely step her up in trip. He got there plenty soon on her but it just fell asunder in front of him and she was always doing enough to hold on.
“Adam is a good young lad, he lives beside us, so there will be a party in Clonalvy tonight anyway.
“She's not big. Dylan's (Browne McMonagle) father John is involved with the syndicate that owns her.
“He rang me to say they had bought her at the sales and there was 'a big mare coming to you to go hurdling'. When she arrived on the lorry I said 'where is the rest of her?'.
“We have her schooled and she jumps well, so that's another option for her and I'd say she'll win a mares maiden hurdle no bother.”
Caffrey won the preceding race on Ado McGuinness' Distillate
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
