Master Matt and Billy Lee working in unison© Photo Healy Racing
After saddling One Cool Poet to three victories in a week at the Galway Festival, Matthew Smith enjoyed another success with Master Matt in the five-furlong handicap at the Curragh.
He finished fifth in Leopardstown last night, when suffering a less than clear route, and attracted plenty of support during the day from as big as 20/1.
The 7/1 co favourite made good headway coming to the final furlong and took aim and headed Enough Said in the final 150 yards.
He forged on well to score by a length and a quarter from Miacomet who stayed on well for second at 11/1. Face Off (7/1cf) was a neck away in third and Bahlwan (12/1) completed the placings in fourth in this 17-runner contest.
Matthew Smith said: “He was unlucky last night (in Leopardstown) but that’s the way it goes. I wasn’t sure about the ground tonight as he never really ran on anything worse than good, but he’s a big strong horse and I was happy enough to let him take his chance.
“He can be a bit of a monkey in the stalls and acted up in Limerick and Down Royal. That’s why he’s loaded last.
“Billy (Lee) said he doesn’t do a thing when he hits the front.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
