Okita a class act in Dundalk opener Okita Soushi quickened away in fine style to land the odds in the opening two-mile conditions race at Dundalk this afternoon. The Joseph O'Brien-trained son of Galileo went to post an 8/11 shot and tracked front-runner Jerandme throughout the race. Mikey Sheehy asked his mount to tackle the leader passing the two pole and he ran around slightly when taking a narrow lead a furlong-and-a-half out. Sheehy straightened his mount up inside the final furlong and he pulled nicely clear to record a four-length win over Firstman, who stayed on for the runner-up spot. The winner was taking a drop in class on his return to action having been well held in the Irish Cesarewitch and Ebor on his previous two outings. Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: "The idea was to get a run into him, he's in at Saudi in a few weeks' time. He hasn't been accepted yet, but after this there is a possibility that he could go there. "It was just nice to go and get his head in front again. He had a few races last year where he was a little bit unlucky. "He had to win it on ratings today and it was nice for him to go and do it. He got a lovely lead into it and Mikey took it up a fair way out, but he didn't want it to turn into a real sprint. "Mikey said when he got to the front he was only doing enough. We used to hold him up a lot before - he used to be a bit keen, but he relaxes beautifully now. "He has galloped to the line and he has had a nice blow there." (Quotes by Michael Graham)
