It's almost two years since Moran Gra won his maiden over six furlongs at Leopardstown and the American-bred came back to something like his best to cause a surprise in the Leopardstown.com Handicap under Wayne Lordan.
Trainer of the Rahy gelding, Joanna Morgan has never hidden her regard for the four-year-old who was reportedly very backward and green in his juvenile days. Indeed he was fourth behind Canford Cliffs in the Coventry and he contested the Group 2 Futurity and Richmond and the Goffs Million Sprint in his two-year-old career.
Here Moran Gra got on top inside the last to beat the well-backed favourite Skyway with Aznavour staying on for third.
Morgan said: "He's a good horse – it's easier training good horses. He'd been working very well and we fancied him today. The owners (Donal Breen and Michael Ryan) had a few quid on.
"I might take him for a big handicap at Royal Ascot as the owners would be keen to travel. He's a laid-back horse but he doesn't like to be in the middle of the action – he needs daylight."
