Domination & Fran Berry in full flow© Photo Healy Racing
The Charles Byrnes trained Domination (8s into 7/1 on-course) ran out a good winner of the last at the Curragh this evening, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship EBF Handicap over two miles.
Ridden by Fran Berry, the son of Motivator, tracked the leaders in third for much of the contest before he was ridden to lead over a furlong out, staying on well from there to score by two lengths at the line. Takeyourcapoff finished back in second under Charlie Elliott for Jessica Harrington at 14/1 while the 5/2 favourite, Call Me Bubbles was a nose back in third under Pat Smullen for Willie Mullins. Justification completed the placings a further length and a quarter back in fourth under Joseph O’Brien for his father Aidan at 9/2.
The winner finished sixth behind Shadow Catcher over hurdles at Down Royal recently and before that he finished last of twelve on the level at Leopardstown, both of those runs coming on good to firm ground.
Charles Byrnes said afterwards: "He loves that ground, the firmer the better. The last time he got his ground was at Newmarket (last September).
"He probably has only got his ground twice in two years. He didn’t jump bad the last day and we might consider the Galway Hurdle although he probably needs two and half or even three miles over hurdles."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
