Ellaat (Killian Leonard) beats Belle Cora (Shane Foley)© Photo Healy Racing
"That was grand. I didn't think it was going to happen after he jumped out of the stalls. He normally wings the gates but he walked out today and I stopped looking and thought this has gone wrong," said trainer Denis Hogan after his Ellaat (6/1 into 7/2 favourite) landed a gamble in the Bay Leaf Handicap at Ballinrobe.
Killian Leonard did the steering on the Heeraat gelding for the Sunday Racing Club, and he eventually got the better of Belle Cora by half a length.
"Killian had to weave his way through and he said he didn't handle the track at all. He is a big weak horse and was just wobbling around a bit. He had to come outside and inside and it's up and down here. It's hard to do what he done," elaborated Hogan.
"He is a grand horse for the future, he is weak and is improving a bit all the time.
"We probably won't be in any rush with him now and we'll probably let him develop a bit more before we go again.
"I didn't mind the rain yesterday because he is a big staying horse and I thought the slower things are around here the better for him.
"We got a free three pounds as well because Killian lost his three at the weekend. He was three pound well-in!"
(DM & EM)
