Hazel Blue and Danny Grant in winning form© Photo Healy Racing
Punters were left scratching their heads in Dundalk as bottom-weight Hazel Blue took the spoils in the one mile handicap at odds of 20/1.
She tracked the pace in fifth with three furlongs to race before improving inside the final furlong and reaching the front with 150 yards to go. Danny Grant kept her up to her work in establishing a length and three quarter winning margin.
The gambled-on Gold Falcon (7/1 to 4/1 at the track) kept on for second, a nose in front of Carla's Princess at 10/1. Red Laser the 3/1 favourite, had every chance in the final quarter of a mile but dropped to fourth.
Hazel Blue's trainer Kieran Cotter was saddling his first winner since May 2012 (Little Village also on the polytrack) and Hazel Blue was only having her fifth career outing and her second run in handicap company. She hadn't troubled the judge to date.
Kieran Cotter said: "An overdue win! I wasn't surprised as she ran a great race in Gowran [fifth of nine] and stripped fitter for it. I wasn't sure exposed handicappers could give her the weight allowances. She did the job well and she might get another. I felt she was worth persevering with.
"The owner (Rory O'Brien) is based in Offaly and is involved in the machinery business in the States. I have eight to 10 horses in training. I've spent a good few pounds extending the gallops."
The winner paid €47.10 on the Tote.
