Doyouthinkso and Chris Hayes (right) win from Pineapple Express© Photo Healy Racing
They went a furious pace up front in the DundalkStadium.com Handicap (Div II) and Doyouthinkso (9s into 5/1) came from the back of the field to lead well inside the final furlong.
Chris Hayes’ mount scored by three quarters of a length and the same from the 7/2 favourite Pineapple Express and Danehill Quest (11/2).
It was a successful Flat handicap debut for the 5-year-old gelding who started off with Dot Love.
It was a first Flat winner for Tramore trainer John Flavin who has made a good start since recently taking over the licence from his father, Pat. Flavin has already been on the mark twice over hurdles with Street Value who gave him a winner with his first runner when scoring at Clonmel last month.
"He was very slow away and hadn’t run on the Flat in nearly two years," said Flavin.
"They went an unbelievable gallop up front.
“I told Chris to coax him along as he’s not a fella that will really do for getting stuck into him. Thankfully Chris kept the bit high in his mouth and let him travel away.
“The rest of them stopped in the straight and he kept going.
“He’d ran well over hurdles at Tramore and then the ground was bottomless when he ran the other day in Gowran. He couldn’t go on it at all but he had a good blow and it sort of left him spot on for today.
“He had a few problems last year and then the ground was gone on him so I said I’d bring him up here. I knew he’d handle it but I didn’t think he’d win the first day up here.
“He’ll mix it for the spring and summer. He wants better ground over hurdles and is now off the mark on the Flat.
“That’s my first Flat winner. Things are going brilliant and that’s three (winners) out of the first five (runners).
“I’ve 15 in training between jumpers, point-to-pointers and the Flat.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
