Dignam and Declan McDonogh © Photo Healy Racing
Successful in the opening race just over half-an-hour earlier, Declan McDonogh and Joseph O'Brien doubled up when Dignam won the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Tipperary.
Having the third run of his career, the Sea The Moon colt put all that previous experience to good use here to justify short odds of 4/9f.
Pushed along early to lead from his wide draw, the colt was soon into stride, dictating matters from the front. Kicking on early in the straight, the eventual winner was pursued by newcomer Slick from over a furlong out.
However, as experience began to tell inside the last 200 yards, Dignam stayed on best to win by a comfortable one-and-three-quarter-lengths.
Declan McDonogh: “It’s the first time I rode him. I sat on him yesterday morning and he’s a grand, solid horse.
“He has a turn of foot and when I was getting it easy, I kicked and got a few lengths on them.
“He feels like a quality sort of horse as he was gawking the whole way down the straight and lugging out to his right a little bit and having a good look. It’s inexperience and I’d say he’d be better with a lead.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
