Motafaany Does it Like his Brother Mustameet has been a fantastic servant to Kevin Prendergast and his own brother, Motafaany, has began his career in the same excellent fashion for Friarstown Stables, as the three-year-old gelding made it two from two in the John Perry Race at Sligo. With the first time tongue-tied 4/6 favourite, Ballyhaunis, not wanting to jump away with the field and losing a lot of ground at the start, the door was left open for something else to take advantage. Willie Mullins' odds-on shot did gain contact with the rest of the runners but he was beaten from over a quarter of a mile out and ended up finishing last (eased straight). Meanwhile the 4/1 winner, under Declan McDonogh, led over two furlongs out in the Hamdan Al Maktoum silks and kept on strongly under pressure from over a furlong out to put three and a half lengths between himself and Theocritus. (EM)
