Waipu Cove and Colin Keane come out on top from Play The Game and Port Douglas© Photo Healy Racing
Waipu Cove made a quick and successful graduation from nursery to Listed company, by coming out on top in the Coolmore Canford Cliffs Stakes at Tipperary under Colin Keane.
Utterly dominant at Galway just last Saturday, the market suggested that Waipu Cove (9/2) would struggle to cope with Ballydoyle's Port Douglas (the well-supported 8/11 favourite).
However it was John McConnell's 10/1 shot, Play The Game the pace-setter, that put up most resistance, and the successful Ger Lyons' runner eventually got the upper hand on him by half a length.
There was two lengths to Jim Bolger's course and distance victor, Glamorous Approach in third, with the aforementioned Port Douglas a head back in fourth.
Convergence took this prize for Lyons and Keane twelve months back and on this occasion stable representative Shane Lyons said: "He had a real handy race at Galway last Saturday and while we had our hand forced (by the handicapper, upped 18Ibs), we still took a chance running today.
"It's nobody's fault but the ground is horrible, and like a gluepot after the dry weather recently. Colin (Keane) said he hated it and didn't want to get to the front too soon; he said that heart got him through.
"He's very honest but we decided to put blinkers on him as he didn't go through a gap at Roscommon (in July) but that was down to greeness. He wore them at Galway and for obvious reasons there was no way we were taking them off today.
"He'll get further but we'll take a deep breath now after two quick runs."
"To be fair we always thought a bit of him at home. We were disappointed with him on his first two runs and his third run was more of what he was showing us at home," said Keane.
"Then he won well last week and it was back to normality today.
"It wasn't a shock when he won like he did at Galway, and whilst he didn't have it as easy today I'd say John McConnell's horse is a nice horse, the way he won first time out at Leopardstown. He stepped up again today so he did.
"It's testing ground and I'd say my fella would like it a bit nicer. You'd imagine he'll get a mile no problem either."
The Stewards interviewed G.F. Carroll, rider of Play The Game, concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race.
Evidence was heard from the rider concerned.
Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards found G.F. Carroll in breach of Reg 10 3. (f) by using his whip with excessive frequency and having taken his record into account suspended him for one race day.
(TW & EM)
