Midnight Fire and Mark Gallagher (near side) win by a nose from Glow Worm© Photo Healy Racing
The EquisoftLive Maiden produced a really good finish, with Midnight Fire (7/2) and Mark Gallagher (8th winner of the campaign) just getting the verdict by a nose from the luckless Glow Worm (11/2).
The latter was prominent all the way but was collared in the final strides and had to settle for second place for the eighth time in 18 starts. Gold Allure (33/1) was a further half a length away in third with the 10/3 favourite Soul Seeker fourth home.
The winner, a gelded son of Mayson, was unraced at two and has been gradually improving with racing. He was getting off the mark at the fourth attempt having been runner-up at Cork on his previous outing.
Patrick Harty, assistant to his father Eddie, said: "He was very sharp out of the gates last time at Cork and travelled strongly.
"Today he fell out of them and looked to me like he was on the back foot the whole way but he got the job done.
“He was bought by a very loyal owner of ours Noel O’Flaherty last year out of the breeze ups.
"He had a few problems and couldn’t run until he was three but has improved with every run and if he keeps improving he can make a lovely miler next year.
“Hopefully he could be competitive in those good mile handicaps next year.
"I think an ease in the ground is no harm but it was good to firm in Cork and he ran well there. I don’t think he wants extremes.
“He’ll run again before the turf season is over but he won’t be going to Dundalk.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
