Free State (Gary Halpin) accounts for Any Time in the Dundalk finale© Photo Healy Racing
Free State produced a lovely finishing burst to firmly put the closing Windsor Bar & Restaurant, Dundalk Handicap to bed.
Gary Halpin was aboard the New Approach chestnut for owner Steve Moloney and trainer Denis Hogan.
Already a Dundalk scorer, over an extended mile and a quarter back in January, Free State put four and three parts of a length between himself and runner-up Any Time in the closing stages. He'd benefited from a patient ride from the rear of mid-division.
"That was a top class ride. He knows him well now, dropped him in lovely, took his time and weaved his way through. Gary has been very lucky for me," said Hogan.
"He's a horse that can hopefully go in again. He has to have top of the ground. We would jump but it would need to be real good ground.
"He had a wind-op before Christmas and it did help. He just wasn't getting home in his races.
"He was very good. We weren't sure as he'd only won over 1m2f and got beat over 1m4f in between. We just thought dropping him in over this trip was the job. He'll probably come back here again."
K.J. Leonard, rider of Trump Card trained by Conor O'Dwyer, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount suffered interference after turning into the straight.
The Stewards received a report from the Clerk of the Scales, Hugh Hynes, regarding the fact that K.P. Moriarty, rider of Zambezi Tiger weighed in in excess of 1lb overweight after this race.
Evidence was heard from the rider concerned who stated that he drank some water after passing out his saddle and this must have contributed to him being overweight.
Having considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion K.P. Moriarty was in breach of Rule 231 and having considered his clean record, they cautioned him.
(GC & EM)
