Music Drive holds off Sandor Clegane© Photo Healy Racing
Music Drive upset the odds-on Sandor Clegane when landing the BetVictor (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race on Festival Trials days at Naas this afternoon.
The Muhtathir gelding beat subsequent Leopardstown maiden hurdle winner Howyabud in a point-to-point for Colin Bowe and filled the runner-up spot on his debut under rules behind Redemption Day at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting.
However, he was easy to back here going off at 9/2 up against Sandor Clegane, second to Facile Vega in the Grade 2 bumper at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month.
The pair settled down to battle it out in the straight and Jamie Codd’s mount proved the stronger inside the final furlong to score by three-quarters-of-a-length from the 4/9 favourite. Kiki Badger ran a cracker keeping on well in the closing stages to finish just half-a-length away in third.
Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said, "He is a grand, nice honest horse who put his head out and it is great for David (Barnard) who has a couple of horses with us now. He is very lucky and every thing he seems to be touching is winning and he is having a bit of craic so I'm delighted.
"He is more of a 2m4f horse down the road, wouldn't mind a bit of nicer ground and we'll keep him for Fairyhouse."
(TW & AM)
