By Brian Fleming
Muakaad, highly regarded by Curragh trainer Dermot Weld before his reputation suffered somewhat when trailing in last behind Holding Court in the French Derby last month, bounced back to winning ways in emphatic fashion when making every yard a winning one under Pat Smullen in the Computershare Services (Ireland) EBF Race at Leopardstown last evening.
'I was shattered after France - everything went wrong,' said Weld. ' We think a sod of grass may have ended up in his mouth when he gurgled badly that day and the ground was very soft. We tried a tongue-tie on him today and it worked well.'
The Rosewell House handler added, 'I wanted to see how he got on today before we put him back in the big league but where he goes next I just don't know yet, but it will be a Group race somewhere. Without going overboard, that was a very smart performance,'
Kevin Prendergast nominated the #200,000 Tattersalls Breeders Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh next month for his filly Sweet Dilemma after the 5-2 shot, bred by her owner Frank Barry, romped home from the Declan Gillespie pair, Dont You Dare and Travatore in the Goffs Race.
'She's improving all the time and she couldn't handle the soft ground at all in the past. She's qualified for the Curragh race and that's where she'll go next,' said the Curragh trainer.
Niall McCullagh initiated a 44-1 brace on Lizzie-R, who followed up on her Roscommon maiden success with a smooth pillar to post success in the one mile handicap, before teaming up with 14-1 shot Bibi Karam which resulted in a Jackpot carryover of #15,000 to this Saturdays fixture at the Foxrock track.
Tadhg O'Shea (18) produced Purty Dancer with a perfectly timed challenge to upset John Mulhern's Peak View in the seven furlong handicap and supply Mick Halford with his third winner of the week in the process but earlier the Mulhern yard had better luck when Distinguished Cove finished like a train under Mick Hussey to cause a mild suprise in the Derrinstown Apprentice handicap.
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