A thrilling finish in the BarOneRacing.com Mourne Handicap with Geological (yellow, red cap) coming out on top © Photo Healy Racing
The BarOneRacing.com Mourne Handicap produced a tremendous finish with five horses covered by less than half a length at the line.
The front-running Geological just wouldn’t lie down and rallied close home, having been headed, to thwart the reserve Acquiescent (25/1) by a short head, with Tresorier (28/1) a neck away in third and dead-heaters for fourth Independent Missy and Parkers Hill just another short head in behind the front three.
It was a 14th career victory for the Rock Of Gibraltar gelding, with eight of those wins coming at Dundalk and this mark of 98 was the highest he’s won off.
Colin Keane was on board for winning trainer Damian English who said: "I'm delighted, that's his eighth win up here. I think the winter in Dubai did him the world of good.
“We'll probably go for the big seven-furlong handicap on Champions Weekend again. Hopefully the handicapper isn't too hard on him as it was a tight finish.
“When they headed him I thought we were in trouble because it is riding slower. This place, with the sun on it always rides a bit slower and then we have the new surface settling in so I thought it wouldn't be ideal.
“He knows where the line is and knows this place better than any of us.
“He's the best I've had. It was Cash Or Casualty at the start who was the first winner and won nine for us but this lad's just taken it to another level. He's taken us to Dubai and is competing here off 98.
“He's unreal. He's eight years young and still has the enthusiasm, long may it last.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
