Gear Up fends off Cleveland© Photo Healy Racing
Joseph O'Brien enjoyed a one-two in the featured 1m4f Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown as Gear Up (4/1) held on from Cleveland
This gave O'Brien an across-the card-double as Faron also scored over flights in Sligo. Sandhurst set the fractions in this 1m4f assignment, but he was there to be shot at inside the final quarter of a mile.
Gear Up, who had tracked throughout, took over under Dylan Browne McMonagle and kicked on at the furlong pole. His stablemate Cleveland made a race of it in the final 100 yards as he kept closing. The latter went down fighting by a neck at 3/1. Beamish the 6/4 favourite, couldn't hunt down the front pair in the straight and was three and a half lengths adrift at the line.
O'Brien said: “It was a good tough performance. He's been improving with each run all year and I'd say that's as good as he's been all year.
“I think a mile-and-a-half is probably his perfect trip. I'm very pleased with the win.
“He ran well the last day but I think a mile-and-a-half is probably his optimum distance.
“Dylan gave him a lovely uncomplicated ride. This lad always fights and he fought on hard today.
“There is the Kilternan Stakes back here on Champions Weekend and he's also in the Caulfield Cup.
“I'm not sure if he can do both. I think the quarantine may start before the Kilternan, so it might be one or the other.”
On Cleveland, he added: “I thought it was a great run. He had to be group placed to qualify for the Melbourne Cup, so I'm very pleased.”
Paddy Power cut Gear Up from 25/1 to 12/1 for the Irish Cesarewitch.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
