Sir Jimmy Mac and Declan Lavery © Photo Healy Racing
Sir Jimmy Mac led his rivals a merry dance in the concluding bumper at Downpatrick as he made all for a wide margin win.
The Murdeach Kelly-trained Valirann gelding soon opened up a clear lead in the two-mile-one contest.
He had a slightly reduced advantage six furlongs from home but opened up again when Declan Lavery asked him for an effort passing the two furlong pole.
The six-year-old galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a 24-length win over Rexem at odds of 14/1.
“His work has been good, really smart actually, and the biggest problem, we thought, was would he switch off,” said Kelly.
“Brian (Laird) and his family have pre-trained him and done a serious job because he hasn't been simple, he's very free.
“He did a couple of bits of work recently and we just wanted to get him here in one piece, thank God everything worked out.
“We travelled him up last night and he stayed in Brian's. We actually brought him racing earlier today, to get the microchip done, and then he went back to Brian's for an hour.
“He never turned a hair. Deccy gave him a serious ride, he was very good on him.
“I met Dusty Sheehy yesterday, we both had trained (Grade 2 winner) Kahuna and I told him he was as good as him but he had to learn how to breathe and run his race. Declan was brilliant on him.
“I have thank Brian and the family for supporting me. I gave up my licence a couple years ago after a few things and lost my brother earlier this year. It's been hard but this makes it all worthwhile.
“This is a good horse. Everything is for sale but today was the plan as Brian and his family are just five miles up the road.”
Lavery added:- "He was very good. It was all about keeping the head on him as he gets a bit hot and revved up. He's some horse to gallop, he's just relentless. He doesn't stop in fairness to him.
"He won a couple of schooling bumpers and he doesn't stop galloping. I rode him a few times and I just knew keeping the head on him was the main thing.
"When he gets it all together, it takes a fair horse to go with him. If I got an easy lead on him, I knew he would take a bit of beating. It worked out.
"If he keeps his head right, there is no reason why he wouldn't have a big future."
(Quotes by Michael Graham)
